Unearth The Voyage
Memphis doesn’t just do barbecue. Memphis is barbecue. And nowhere is that more obvious than in its ribs – dry, wet, smoky, saucy, bone-clinging or melting away. I walked into these joints the way Bourdain would: hungry, curious, a little cynical. What I found was a city that still worships the pig, and ribs that tell stories about family, time, and smoke.
9. Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Que
Neely’s used to be one of those names you dropped when talking Memphis barbecue, but time hasn’t been kind. The ribs still carry that signature Neely’s seasoning – sweet, smoky, a little peppery – but the magic can be inconsistent. Some days, tender and rich. Other days, dry, tasting more of yesterday than today. The place still has soul, and you’ll find tourists snapping photos. But if you’re chasing rib greatness, there are better fires burning in this town.
8. Payne’s Bar-B-Q
Payne’s is legendary, no question – but not for ribs. The chopped pork sandwich here is a Memphis rite of passage, neon slaw and all. Ribs? They’re serviceable, kissed with smoke, but they take a backseat to the pork shoulder. That said, walking into Payne’s – an old cinderblock building where the pit has been running longer than you’ve been alive – is worth it. Even if the ribs aren’t the star, you’ll feel the heartbeat of Memphis barbecue culture in every bite.
7. Corky’s BBQ
Corky’s is Memphis barbecue for the masses. It’s polished, dependable, and everywhere. The ribs are solid: smoky, saucy, fall-off-the-bone crowd-pleasers. Nothing wrong with them – they just don’t whisper secrets of a pitmaster’s obsession the way the best ribs in this city do. Corky’s is where you take your out-of-town cousin who “just wants some barbecue.” They’ll leave happy, sticky-fingered, and convinced Memphis is the rib capital of the world. But you and I know the deeper truth: there are richer flavors hiding in smoky corners.
6. Rendezvous
You can’t talk Memphis ribs without mentioning Rendezvous. Down a flight of stairs, in a basement that smells of history, they’ve been cranking out dry-rub ribs since the ’40s. Tourists love them, locals are divided. The ribs are lean, a little charred, heavy on the rub, light on the sauce. Not the juiciest ribs in Memphis, but they have a character – salty, spicy, smoky – that keeps people coming back. Eat them with a cold beer, look around at the walls lined with photographs, and you’ll feel part of something bigger than the ribs on your plate.
5. Central BBQ (Airport Location)
Let’s be real: airport food is usually a crime against cuisine. But Memphis is the rare city where you can land, hustle to your gate, and gnaw on ribs that actually taste like they came from a real pit. Central’s airport location isn’t the flagship – the ribs can’t match the slow-burn perfection of Central Ave. – but they’re still Memphis barbecue, not a sad corporate imitation. Smoky, tender, rubbed with spice, they’re a strange comfort in the chaos of travel. If you’re desperate, it’s barbecue as lifeline. If you’re lucky, it’s your first taste of Memphis before the city even begins.
4. Cozy Corner
Cozy Corner is exactly what it says it is – small, humble, nothing fancy. But the ribs here? They’re the real deal. Thick with smoke, tugging just right off the bone, seasoned with care. The sauce has a sweetness that lingers, but the meat carries enough depth to stand alone. Cozy Corner is the kind of place Bourdain loved: a joint where the food matters more than the decor, where family recipes pass through generations, and where barbecue is still religion. Eat here and you’ll wonder why Memphis isn’t shouting Cozy Corner’s name louder. Maybe because the locals want to keep it to themselves.
3. Central BBQ (Original Central Ave.)
This is where Central earns its reputation. The ribs are everything you want Memphis barbecue to be: smoky, tender, pulling clean with each bite, coated in a dry rub that sings with spice. The bark is perfect – crisp edges giving way to juicy meat. Add a touch of their mustard vinegar sauce and it’s barbecue nirvana. The vibe is casual, noisy, smoke in the air. People don’t just eat here – they line up, and they wait. And when the ribs hit the table, they know why. Central’s flagship doesn’t just serve food; it serves proof of why Memphis still rules the rib world.
2. The Bar-B-Q Shop
This place is barbecue royalty. Their “Dancing Pigs” sauce – tangy, spicy, balanced – is the stuff of legend. But the ribs? That’s where the story is told. Both wet and dry are outstanding. Dry gives you that smoky, savory crust; wet delivers a sticky, finger-licking punch of flavor. Either way, the meat is tender, juicy, and unforgettable. The atmosphere is unpretentious, the kind of joint where you’re too busy devouring what’s on the plate to notice the world spinning outside. If ribs could be poetry, The Bar-B-Q Shop is Shakespeare.
1. Cozy Corner (Cornish Hen and Ribs Combo)
Yes, Cozy Corner makes this list twice – and it earns it. Order the Cornish hen-and-ribs combo and you’ll see why. The ribs are everything Memphis barbecue should be: tender, smoky, balanced with spice and sweetness. Paired with the Cornish hen, it’s a revelation – a meal that makes you stop, breathe, and appreciate the strange beauty of Southern barbecue traditions. This isn’t just food; it’s Memphis on a plate, equal parts history and fire. Anthony Bourdain would have loved it: humble, soulful, unforgettable. And in this city of smoke and pork, it’s the plate that wins the crown.
