This is by far the best BBQ place I have EVER been to and that is a big statement!! I wanted to try something good and although it was a bit much the waitress recommended the sampler platter: A Trip to Hog Heaven! Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Links, Beef Brisket, Pork Shoulder, B-B-Q Spaghetti, Beans, Slaw and Bread. Each item was probably the best I've had and it was also the first time I had BBQ Spaghetti (unbelievable!). I read about Jim Neely before I came to Memphis and I knew I had to come here. I loved the location and the simple atmosphere that included a wall of family photos and another of celebrities. I came during off hours so it wasn't overly packed but I was there for only one thing and I got it. To my surprise (sort of), as I stated before, the BEST BBQ I have ever had! read more

Interstate Barbecue - A photo op of patrons with Jim Neely while I was there. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis style BBQ is known for dry rub and smoking. The pork ribs and beef ribs here were religiously authentic. The favour sipped deep into the meat. The in-house signature BBQ sauce was wonderful, hitting all the right notes. The beef ribs were huge. But the meat was dry and tough to rib off the bones. The pork ribs were better than the beef ribs by a large margin. The meat came off easily for the most part. Only the meat at the tips wouldn't come off. Services was inadequate considering there were only 3 tables for the whole time we were there. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Beef ribs (small order 4 ribs) with 2 sides $10.50 - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Was down the street from Neely's and since this used to be my bbq stop in Memphis I decided to stop in and get some ribs. Though there are better ribs other places Interstate's secret is their delicious beef ribs. $10 gets you a huge plate of tender beef ribs with two sides. The sides are nothing to write home about but the beef ribs are excellent. This is urban bbq at its best. No frills and chain bbq here, this is the Q folks have been eating in Memphis for decades. The beef ribs are huge, tender, perfectly smoked and full of flavor with an amazing rub. You don't need extra sauce except to dip your bread in. read more

This was my favorite spot for BBQ and I recommended it all the time. It's where I would bring out of town friends and family. This was the first time going since the pandemic and it was awful. First they charged me for someone else's order, but they did get it straightened out. I had ordered the Bar-B-Q Spaghetti Dinner. It was so spicy I could not even eat it. Thirty minutes later my mouth and lips were still burning. Decided not to eat the spaghetti and was going to just pick out the meat. But there was no meat! I picked out maybe half a teaspoon of tiny scraps. This was such a disappointing experience that I won't be back. read more

Good que. Had the smoked turkey sandwich which comes sliced. Not a lot of smoke but lean and moist. Baked beans were good. Dear hubs had the pork ribs plate w/ baked beans. He loaned me a rib and it was nice and tender, again, not a lot of smoke. And all were sauced w/ their house made red. BBQ sauce. Decent sauce. I prefer alabama white sauce but that's where I'm from. Minus one star b/c I would have enjoyed more hickory smoke flavor. But BBQ is so subjective and based on your preferences. They were doing a good bit of business today so "good on them"! Tip: to go orders are to the left using a separate entrance from the eat in area. The "dining room" (to the right of the un labeled "to go" take out area) area is where you place dine in orders. Oh and check your bag before leaving. We had to share a fork but get, it's valentine"s day. read more

Interstate Barbecue - All kinds of pigs here. Even a valentine pig statue. Got smoked turkey. Stand by. Smells good!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Awesome combo plate, liked every bit of it! The spices were just right to give the sauce enough jazz to sparkle the buds!

We were so close to Mississippi that we used this as an excuse to say we had been. Midwest barbecue places don't often have beef on their menus so that's what we ordered. Beef ribs and beef smoked sausage along with coleslaw and potato salad. The ribs came off the bone like they should and had a good smokey flavor. The sausage was good. There was a lot of sauce which is probably the regional norm which isn't our favorite thing. The meat should stand on its own. The sides were again, good, with the slaw being sweet. All that being said 100 times better than Rendezvous just across the river. read more

An odd place. I'm not big on slaw with my pork sandwich. So I asked for it without. This place has the best pork sandwich I had in Memphis. High praise, given the state of the BBQ culture in Memphis. I got the sandwich to go, and that's all I got. Next time, I plan to get the BBQ spaghetti. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

So let me start with the good. The rib tips were awesome as always. However that was the only thing good. I paid $40+ for food. A rib tip sandwich w/ fries and 3 wing plates. All 15 wings were dry and hard. Admittedly, it was 9:30 when we ordered. But I would have preferred if they told me they were out. Instead, we were given a bunch of dry, hard wings. Then my my daughters asked repeatedly to use the restroom and were denied. We were told they had moped and didn't want to mess the floors up. One of my daughters offered to remop the floor and was still told no. I try to support local businesses whenever I'm in the area. But poor customer service will stop me every time. read more

Not sure if this is more a critique of the restaurant, the delivery or a bit of both. On Jun18th I ordered delivery to my room at the Doubletree downtown. I specifically requested that the food be left at my hotel room door and gave the room number. That wasn't done(problem #1); it was left at the unmanned valet stand in the lobby with no identification in the bag so everyone who ordered something could rummage through the bag. I didn't think it was mine because I had ordered two canned sodas that I could clearly see were NOT in the plastic bag (problem#2). A Valet employee saw my stalking the bag and came in to ask if I needed help and I said I was looking for a food delivery but I didn't think this bag was mine. He described the delivery person and the car and I said I guess that's mine, because that information checked out. I took the sodaless bag to my room and discovered the restaurant decided not only did I not need my drinks, I would prefer the pound cake to the pecan pie I ordered (problem #3). On top of all that, the food was just ok. I had been driving on a driving trip and just reached my final destination so did not have time to review until today. I don't think I will purchase from them again. I feel like my little 26 dollars and change was a bit of a ripoff. read more

BBQ was delicious. The plate was humongous. I had rib tips. I was able to share the plate and have left overs too. Only downside was potato salad was not the best and the fries were over cooked. read more

Unfortunately I'm left trying to find the positives... I didn't have any expectations or previous knowledge regarding this establishment prior to visiting. I literally searched bbq and it was close to where I was at the time. I'll start by saying it's a black owned restaurant conveniently located that offers dine-in, carry-out, and drive-thru service with several options to choose. The dining area is spacious & there's ample parking to accommodate both commuter vehicles and large trucks and buses. A large party occupying a coach bus was dining during my visit and I received my carry-out in approximately 10 minutes so I'd say service is quick. Downside is customer service. The older guy taking orders was very rude & he alone would discourage me from returning. Minor adjustments there could have made for a way better experience. His tone & communication made me feel like I was bothering him. For example, I asked for the 'combination dinner' as stated on the menu and his response was "what is that" as he takes the menu from me lol and says no the 2 meat combo. Well sir I'm only READING what's written. There were other examples but that was the easiest to describe. He was just too abrasive for me and I didn't feel welcomed to choose to eat there. Additionally, the food was not to my liking. The pork ribs are oven baked but they do fall off the bone. The sausage was very salty but a good portion was provided. The potato salad was ok and I just wasn't a fan of the baked beans at all. For these reasons, I will not return nor recommend. read more

See all

A friend insisted we stop here on our travels. The service was good but the food was good but not award winning great as reported. The pork sandwich was big but ordinary. My daughter said my pulled pork was more flavorful and moist, as this was good but not great and on the dry side. Had onion rings and fries which were both decent. I did like the BBQ pasta, but nothing to moon over. Again, good food but. It necessarily destination worthy. read more

See all

went to interstate on 3rd St. the day after Christmas. Big mistake! The food was not fresh! Old and dry! The waitress asked us was everything ok. I told her the food was not fresh and was old. She just said ohh ok, walked off and never came back to the table or addressed my concern with management. I will NEVER eat here again. I was so embarrassed! I had brought a guest from Atlanta. read more

Low prices but horrible poor quality meats. We had heard so many good things. No. Stay away

Mr. Neely is looking 50 Shades of Decay in the decomposing decal along the side of building. Kind of gives you a warm feeling. Sadly, his smiling rotting face on the wallpapered mural is the most hospitality you'll see at Interstate Barbecue. But hey! Any place that sells spaghetti by the gallon is worth a try! Upon entry, the second thing you'll notice is the numerous family portraits of the Obama Family. You'd think the Obamas moved out of 1600 Pennsylvania and moved down to South Third. The atmosphere is quiet and drab. Instead of music or people talking over their lunch, it's just quiet with a television showing daytime talk shows. Interstate is much like a dental office, only more painful. The waitress had the personality of a lobster. It was like the Ghost of Cafeteria Lady Past had come back to haunt me. In fact everyone that worked in the damn place seemed sad to see us in there. A fine example of the rare Southern Hostility. The lifeless, listless lady took our orders, using her memory powers instead of a notepad. It's always kind of cool when a waitress can remember orders like that. The food came out, and at least three things were incorrect about the order. My large rib order morphed into a small order, my sides were swapped into different sides. I guess our server's memory powers were failing her this day. MAYBE YOU SHOULD WRITE THE ORDER DOWN NEXT TIME if you have the memory of someone with advanced dementia. Okay, so everyone knows my main rule - if the food is good I can forgive most anything. So how does Interstate Barbecue hold up on the plate? Ehh The BBQ pork comes as either chopped or sliced. That's a restaurant preference, but I think the vast majority of BBQ experts would agree that the best texture and best retention of moisture is achieved by pulling the pork. I ordered it anyway to give it the benefit of the doubt and sure enough it's on the dry side and it was this flaky texture that's difficult to describe. The sauce is highly disappointing. It hits one note, it's just sweet. It's brown ketchup. The ribs were cooked okay but there was no nuisances of flavor. The sauce is glazed on and it's sweet. I would have liked to have tried the ribs with a dry rub on them, but they don't offer that option. They wet it and forget it. So the BBQ spaghetti was something we definitely wanted to try. The spaghetti itself is cut into one inch pieces, so it comes out on the plate looking like a big fat can of Chef Boyardee. ...And it tastes like it was fresh from the can. The poor pasta was cooked to death and sent to hell. Just mush, overcooked and probably sitting around in the sauce all day. Again the BBQ sauce is one note sweet and there's not a lot of pork in the dish. BBQ spaghetti is an interesting idea and there's a lot of different flavors you can play with it. Go to the Bar-B-Q Shop for a better representation of this Memphis staple. We paid at the counter. The lady there said not one word to us. Very unwelcoming environment and the food sucks. Avoid this dump, and go to a restaurant where the food sucks but at least the staff is nice. Bad atmosphere, bad service, and bad food is the unholy trinity of swine dining. Two stars. read more

See all

Pros: The food was perfect and they had large portions; drinks as well! Cons: they place was filthy! Had inspectors come in while we were there, they would have shut it down! Sorry I didn't get pictures but did not have the Yelp app while we were there! Salt and pepper shakers were empty and nasty along with napkin holders and the salt and pepper holders. read more

went through the drive through for a family pack on the way home. Paid just over $26 after tax for a 8 pack. How dry can BBQ be? this is inedible without a ton of sauce to try and choke it down. what a disappointment and waste of money. will never try it again. read more

We ended up getting the sampler plate and it was jam packed with food. We shared it between two people and there was still enough left for about 1 more meal each which is nice since it was on the pricier side at around 24$ for the plate. The meat was good and so was the sausage but it just wasn't the best barbecue we had in the area. The beans were good but the coleslaw was a little odd and we ended up not finishing it. The barbecue spaghetti was good but you get this itty bitty cup of it and it seems pretty easy to make at home. Overall, not bad but unfortunately not my favorite barbecue place. read more

Food was not good. We tried a little bit of everything and ended up in the bathroom the next day unfortunately.

I might be putting my head on the chopping block with this one, but I just wasn't impressed. I know, I know. It's a staple for Memphis BBQ, has a ton of history, ties to the Food Network, etc. Whatever. The service was hardly service at all and the bbq was mediocre. Went with a small side of ribs and ordered a small side of the bbq spaghetti. The ribs were very tender and the sauce was nice, but the fact that they charge for extra sauce is a little outlandish. Also, the bbq spaghetti was a little gross. It tasted like the plastic container of bbq you can get from the grocery store over noodles. Just blah. Our server.....where was she? She took our order, brought our food (with a wonderful frowny face!) and then disappeared. We weren't sure where to take our check or how to pay, so I got up and saw her sitting at a table and eating! Really? It was a little dismaying. After having such a good rep, I expected more. Sorry, fellas. I'm not a fan. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

When I left Interstate, I was shocked and disappointed... after all, this place was featured in many TV shows, news articles, etc. as the best rib joint in Memphis... When I landed, got my rental and this was the first BBQ place on my radar.. when I walked in, it wasn't busy, it's self seating, so I got a table that was facing the tv... it took about five minutes before someone came by to offer me the menu and ask what I wanted for a drink. After reviewing the menu for while and wanting everything on it, I opted to go with the sampler platter - (A Trip to Hog Heaven! Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Links, Beef Brisket, Pork Shoulder, B-B-Q Spaghetti, Beans, Slaw and Bread). After ten minute wait, my food came out... so quickly divided right in. Links - dried and overloaded with the bbq sauce... and it was cold... Pork Ribs - while the meat was decent, the ribs were mildly warm... meaning that it was not hot, just on the edge of going cold. I could not smell the charcoal or hickory smell from the ribs. Beef Ribs - tough and hard to eat... the meat were chewy and difficult to get off the bone... they should have cooked it little longer. Beef Brisket - it was chopped, not sliced... it was dry, very difficult to eat. Pork Shoulder - it was also chopped, dry as well. BBQ Spaghetti - the noodles were overcooked.... Slaw - needed little more seasoning Beans - probably the best on the sampler, although the meat in the beans were overcooked. So, overall, the food that I received on the sampler were cold, dry and the sauce had no flavor... I felt as though they served me leftovers from the previous day. Highly disappointed and when I'm back in Memphis, you won't find me visiting Interstate. If this place was voted to have the best BBQ in Memphis, then there's some problem... I hope there are other better BBQ joints in Memphis. read more

There's a stark difference between charmingly terrible service (see: Gatlin's, Houston) and just plain terrible. Apparently rolling up to Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ late in the evening draws plenty of the latter. Despite being open for another 30 minutes, they were already closing the kitchen, prompting us to order to-go. The cashiers reminded me of the chicks that highlight MTV's Girl Code, only without the brevity or wit. Communication between them and patrons deserved the facepalm tag. We waited roughly 20 minutes for our order of chicken wings, while receiving everything else promptly. I guess that makes sense (chicken wings aren't already smoked, after all), but communication would've been nice. All of this could be forgiven if this were dyn-o-mite BBQ, but it falls somewhere short. I will preface that I'm a Texas kid, and by the football gods, firmly believe in the sanctity of meat and meat alone above all else. Neely's famous pork ribs come smothered, and then resmothered, and then smothered some more, kind of like Nordberg in bed while Frank Drebin is trying to crack the case. That hardly leaves room to taste the pork ribs, which I'm sure are good. There's nothing wrong with the smothering, which tastes good. It's just better suited for something like, say, chicken wings. Anyways, plates come with 2 sides and runs roughly $10. A two-meat combo is puzzlingly $15, leaving little (wallet) room to experience variety. Though to be fair, it's pretty much two servings of each meat that makes the $15 plate. There are a few sides to pick from, although our cashier never gave us the option. Beans over cole slaw for what I was given. There's an awesome-in-theory side called BBQ spaghetti, which tastes exactly like it sounds. Cut-up spaghetti noodles are thoroughly mixed with BBQ sauce and shredded meat (probably pulled pork, though some brisket may have made its way in there as well). Think of a completely unhealthy BBQ chicken pizza, and you've got yourself some BBQ spaghetti. Puzzlingly, that's not a side option with a meat plate, so it's either ordered separately or as a full meal. Interstate was billed as true Memphis BBQ without the touristy vibe like Rendezvous or Central, but the next time I'm back in Graceland, I think I'll hit up one of those places instead. read more

See all

This is my favorite BBQ in Memphis. I like all of it, but this one is currently on the top of my list. Until it's gone or I find someone better. They have the standards like any BBQ place should, ribs, sandwiches etc... But they also have BBQ Spaghetti. Now, this sounds strange, but like everything that sounds questionable... it is amazing. "The Good" - The staff are sweethearts. From the very matter of fact waitress that checked on my twice before making it over to take my order; to the sweet little old lady that I gave money to when I was leaving. - Rib Tips and a small side of BBQ spaghetti, just cause. - The items you can take home to try and master what you taste when you are here. From Dry Rubs to various flavors of sauce. Get some here or wait until the airport gift shop. - Yes, they have Dr. Pepper... as they should. "The Meh" - The best problem in the world to have... They are busy. Which if you are not patient, could annoy you. - A smallish parking lot. "The Bad" - Nothing really bad to comment on. read more

Living on past reputation alone it seems so they quit trying. Dry ribs, non smokey chopped pork. The cole slaw was good so there's that I guess. Service was terrible too. Don't come just because of the name. Memphis is too good of a cue destination to waste time here. read more

What they lack in looks is gained in taste. Frequently used restaurant with a busier than usual drive-thru. At least for me a Chicagoan who is not used to seeing a BBQ place with a drive-thru and it being fully stocked with patrons from the time I walked in till we left. I'm sure the sweaty smell of the entryway may deter some tourists from taking additional steps inside to find out about Neely's BBQ glory. While a true hardcore BBQ shop would have this look, it's not the polite sit down most people across the U.S. are typically used to. To recap try not to mind the cleanliness of the actual restaurant. Then there's the service. Whoa. I'm talking attitude, head bobs and the whole shebang. Dining in after hearing rave reviews, reading them on-line and watching it on TV it's hard to think that so many have dealt with the same service. But I can't say that about all their servers, I saw other tables with smiles and glee over the exemplary attention they got from theirs. We just didn't get that. All I'll say is when I inquired with my server about my order because it came out incorrectly, I got a crazy head bob, some pursed lip action and massive attitude. Had I been home, I would've walked out. But, I was here for BBQ and with family, so I dealt with it. Two more tries and the order was still incorrect. Not sure what happened later on when the server was away, but towards the end when the bill came and it was about time to pay, she got real nice. Hmm. What's a blow to the business overall are those that maintain the ship. The owner is there and often walks about talking to employees trying to maintain a tight hand of his ship. Still, the time it takes for the food to make it to its destination, the table service to maintain the area, cleanup, water refills, etc is terribly slow and you're left wanting. There was a beverage spill on the restaurant floor and the best way they thought to clean it up was to drop a mess of aprons onto the floor to absorb it. A mop and bucket were in view but I think the employee wasn't exactly sure how to deal with it? Imagine your seated in the midst of tables of customers and this Daffy type comes over with a mop and bucket, since He's unsure and untrained shall we say, as if watching an episode of Laurel and Hardy, the mop handle swings, nearly clocking customers in the head. Really. This happened more than once, sending short giggles and embarrassed laughs across faces. Would've been worthy of a You-Tube recording, but I didn't. You need time to dine in. What's the protocol at the front door? Customers walk in and end up standing for some time before most employees think to ask "how many in your party?" Drink refills. Wowzers, I wish there were more people asking if they could assist. It's not that it's too hella busy, I think it's more of mismanaging and people not knowing which details to handle. That's the sad part of it. Once the food comes out, happiness ensues. I wish I could've had spicy BBQ sauce on my food. Instead I got mild which I DID NOT order for the fourth time and it was way too bland for me. The meat was tender, tasty, tangy, yummy, not burnt, not dry, just good barbecue. I went with a combo order of beef ribs and rib tips. The food is perfectly priced in my opinion. Sandwiches with a beverage could run you less than nine bucks easy, entrees and more ten - seventeen dollars. BBQ in Chicago is a lot more expensive than out here, sometimes even double based on where you go. Of the sides we all ordered the potato salad and BBQ beans were the winners of the table. Though all of us swooned over the sight of BBQ spaghetti at other tables nearby. Food for a future visit ?, We will see. It's hard to rate this business because the food was stellar but the service was just so bad. But, since the food outdid the barbecue we had the following day, I've got to rate this the highest versus Leonard's. Although the service at Leonard's is spot on with a smile. read more

Wet vs. dry. That's the argument that continues ad nauseum. As a Georgia resident, I have little to contribute here. Georgians love their sauce--tomato-based, more vinegary than sweet (as compared to KC-style), though not nearly as vinegar-laden as those in the Carolinas. Basically, our 'cue is nothing more than the natural gradient you'd fine as you moved from the vinegary pork of Eastern NC to the sweet thickness found in Kansas. I kind of think of the wet vs. dry argument as an outgrowth of that gradient as well, only moving from the sauce-loving North and Midwest to dry rub loving Texans. Funny thing is, I don't like sauce. It tends to hide the flavor of the meat. A little is good if it complements, but it's too easy to hide flaws under a wet rib. I say this as a preface to my back-to-back comparison between Interstate and Rendezvous' ribs. First of all, props to the wife for not only tolerating this, but suggesting that we eat BBQ two days in a row. If there's one thing I love more than 'cue, it's my wife. Second comes BBQ brisket (seemingly the only thing those Texans can do right) and coming in after all that are all the rest of the different types of 'cues. Interstate is aptly found just off the interstate. (Sorry, West Coasters, it ain't called a freeway 'round here.) We arrived right at lunch time, but being the Monday after July 4th weekend, the crowd was mercifully sparse. I ordered a small order of ribs, baked beans, cole slaw and sweet tea. Head to head, how did I rate Interstate vs. Rendezvous? Sweet Tea: score 1 for Interstate. It tasted made inhouse and not too cloyingly sweet. I noticed Nestea on the fountain station at Rendezvous, driving me to order a Diet Coke. Now I didn't actually see pour a drink from that Nestea nozzle, but its presence saddens me. Baked Beans: Again, score to Interstate. Smokey, pork-laden. Not too sweet. It was some of the better beans I've eaten. Rendezvous' tasted almost canned. Cole slaw: Point to Interstate. Rendezvous' had a strange orange color that I found off-putting. But really, despite the heavy mustard-influence of Rendezvous' version, I don't rate the two cole slaws all that far apart because, hey, it's cole slaw. Ribs: Alas, the big point go to Rendezvous and this is where the wet vs. dry argument rears its ugly head. Rendezvous' ribs had good bite and structure, the dry rub adding significant spice and hiding nothing. Interstates', while good, just weren't as smokey and didn't have the same structure. However (and I may be wrong in this), Interstate's ribs didn't look like baby backs to me while Rendezvous' did. Interstate, it seems, uses a spare rib cut and it's a cut I prefer. Not to mention, my small order of spare ribs at Interstate cost me $7.50 while the large baby backs at Rendezvous (same amount of food mind you) cost $16.95. Heck, Rendezvous might have spare ribs, but it sure as heck what I wasn't served. In my ideal Memphis BBQ world, Interstate and Rendezvous would combine Voltron-style and serve dry-rubbed, charcoal smoked Interstate-source spare ribs. Sigh. One can only dream, right? Four stars for Interstate, edged out only slightly by that delicious dry rub. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Eventually bad service will trump good food, at least for me, so I've made my last trip to Neely's. This is a place I have been coming to once or twice a year since the early '90's, and the food has generally been good on each visit. I especially like the chopped pork (love the huge sandwich) and the beef brisket when it is tender. Not a big fan of the ribs, prefer Corky's, and the Barbecue spaghetti is just nasty. Beans, slaw, most other sides are good. But the service, which has never been great, has gradually grown worse and worse. Everything is slow - getting seated, getting a menue, the food coming out of the kitchen, even getting the damn check takes forever. And the attitude of the folks here is far short of warm and friendly - it is as if they resent you coming in and bothering them, and heaven help you if you call their attention to something that is offf with your order. On our last visit, several weeks ago, both the brisket and the beans were luke warm at best, and I ask the waitress to please replace them with a warmer version, and if looks could kill, I'd be a-mouldering right now. Took 15 minutes, my wife was through, of course. Ask Miss Personality for the check, finally got it, paid, and left. Will not be back. Too much good food in this city, with excellent service, to settle for this. read more

Great pit stop for lunch! Fast and friendly service. Good size portions. As for the food itself, I got the brisket sandwich and chips (nothing fancy). The brisket and sauce was decent. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back but if you near by and short on time, I think this is a good option. read more

See all

I should have done more research before coming here. I went to Memphis for their dry rub, not wet ribs. So you can imagine my disappointment when I realized Interstate only had the latter. Oh well. The ribs were tender and the BBQ sauce wasn't bad, but there was just TOO much sauce. Let the ribs breathe! If nothing else, it was the BBQ spaghetti that we wanted to try, and I think my friend described it pretty accurately: imagine what BBQ spaghetti would taste like and that's what it tastes like. We weren't too crazy about this. Maybe it was the unfamiliarity of BBQ spaghetti or maybe it was the deluge of sauce, who knows. The sides were decent and the service was okay, but odds are I won't be returning if I'm ever in town again. read more

Interstate Barbecue - I promise there are some ribs under that sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Our first trip to Memphis and we came here because we saw it on Food Network. It was ok. That's it. Nothing to write home about for me. I got a sampler platter which had a little bit of everything on it and had a TON of food... I left with quite the to go box. The pork ribs were good, the brisket and pulled pork were good. Again, nothing fantastic. The beans were not great although you could tell they were homemade and the potato salad was flat..almost flavorless. When I walked in I expected it to be packed but we were only one of two tables in the whole place on a Friday night, that should have been my first clue. The service was excellent and the employees were incredibly nice and friendly. I just wasn't crazy about the food. Next time I'm in Memphis I'll try somewhere else for my bbq fix. read more

There's decent quality here. The greens were awe-ite. The dry ribs were good. The pulled pork tasted good but tasted as if they had been sitting around for an hour. To the staff here, don't serve pulled pork and have it tastin' luke warm. That's an insult to your customers. Had it been at least warm, this place gets 5 stars. The spicy Louisiana Hot Link out of the this world incredible. The service could be better. It was good, but below average for Memphis where the staff are normally fun loving. Maybe I was spoiled by the other venues. I'd come here again, but I do hope the plate's and of course, the food, is hotter (temperature wise) next time. read more

I am a bbq conniseur, hailing from Kansas City, I eat bbq at least weekly. I like KC, Memphis, and Texas BBQ, and love to try it whenever I travel. I enjoyed Interstate BBQ and would come back, I had the Pork ribs and the sliced beef, I would give the ribs a 4+ and will definitely get again, the slice beef was just not my style and wouldn't recommend. The French fries were also fantastic. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Pork ribs and sliced beef - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Before YELP was a twinkle in its founder's eye, I last ate at Interstate BBQ probably 15 years ago and in the interval I've found the food is even better than what I remember. Their pork barbeque was great, I remember, but I was somewhat offput at the time by their barbeque spaghetti. While some may find it interesting, I just don't think straight barbeque sauce makes a good spaghetti sauce when mixed with pasta. In spite of this, I do find spaghetti with a traditional meat sauce such as served as a combination at Corky's goes great with spaghetti, as unconventional as it sounds. My son raves about their beef ribs here and they are very impressive looking. The size of the ribs look like a feast for the Flintstones. My attention was drawn to a new smoked beef sausage special. I decided to try the sausage and pork combination plate and was pleasantly surprised. The sausage had a really nicely smoked taste and went very well with the house barbeque sauce. The sausage was cut very obliquely and made an unusual presentation. Their beans and slaw are well done and very tasty. It was a wonderful meal and I'll try to return here more often in the future and repeat it. Although located on a busy street, the neighborhood is somewhat worrisome after dark. While we were eating, a Memphis policeman came in to have his supper and fill out paperwork for a robbery a block and a half away. We were glad to have him join us. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Beef Ribs, a Flintstones meal - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Go on the internet and it says the dining room is open. Catch an Iber from Beale Steet to eat at this place. The dining room was closed. This place looks like a complete dive and I didn't feel safe waiting for my Uber to return. Forget going to this place. There are plenty other places in Memphis with open dining rooms. Go there instead! read more

Interstate BBQ has been made famous on TV, and it has a convenient location, a long block north of the I-255 loop. Interstate has a much more comprehensive menu than the Bar-B-Q joints I usually frequent, offering chicken, beef and turkey along with the most important meat- Pork. My standard for Bar-B-Q is the chopped pork sandwich. Mr. Neely serves up a great one: good sauce, good slaw, and delicious smoked meat with perfect texture. My favorite side (you gotta try this) BBQ spaghetti. I eat here often and it's on my list of top Memphis Bar-B-Q spots. read more

Interstate Barbecue - chopped pork sandwich w/ side of BBQ spaghetti - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The best BBQ pulled pork sandwich and beans I've ever had in my life. The pork shoulder was like butter and the BBQ sauce was not too sweet, but perfectly smokey with a great kick. You can buy a big bottle of it relatively inexpensively and it is a great tool to pull out at home for your own BBQ. As for the beans, it was loaded with pork and (I think) bacon which made me lick them down before the waitress even brought me my giant Sweet Tea and Pork Shoulder sandwich. This place is worth the trip, even if you gain 15 lbs just by looking at it. read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Just wish this place was a little closer to work or home. It's location is considered to not be in the "best part of town". Where exactly is the "best part of town" anyway? Just be aware of your surroundings anywhere you go people! Regardless, it is a little far from me, oh well, I will go when I can because the food and portions are awesome! We ordered the BBQ nachos, onion rings, and pork plate. When I think back on this meal, it's the onion rings that clearly stick out in my mind. They are so stinking good! The nachos were pretty fab also. They had a huge portion of pulled pork, cheese and jalapenos and it could feed 2-3 people easily. Definitely worth a visit!! read more

Interstate Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Wow! I trusted the yelp reviews on this place and I'm glad I did. Really cheap, really good food in huge portions brought to you by really nice people. If I lived in Memphis I'd be really fat because I would eat here all the time. PS the place is actually called Jim Neely's not Neely Jim read more

Interstate Barbecue - ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

On Wednesday, June 13, my aunt visited this establishment to order something to eat. Upon entering into the building, she misses the step and falls hard onto the floor. Instead of the staff seeing if she was okay or offering to call someone for her, they rudely told her that there were signs on the wall and that she should have watched her step. Regardless of whether or not a customer should have paid attention to the sign asking her to watch her step, it's the business' responsibility to be sure to provide good customer service and at least offer assistance to a customer who has fallen and injured herself in THEIR establishment. Poor customer service + rude staff = terrible establishment. read more