Barbecue fans blog

Mark Hester


I am a huge Barbecue Fanatic. So one of my favorite places to visit on Earth is Memphis, Tennessee. The home of the Blues is also the home of some delicious Memphis Barbecue.

There is nothing else quite like sinking your teeth into the smokey goodness of the just right ribs at Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous or enjoying the Blues-backed tangy sauces on Beale Street. If you live for good barbecue it’s hard to go wrong in Memphis because there is a great joint on almost every corner. Your biggest problems you will have will be deciding were to begin, where to go next and not wanting to leave.

Here are my can’t-miss choices for Memphis Barbecue Heaven if you have a week to eat in the Home of the Blues.

I’d suggest beginning at the most storied of all of Memphis barbecue restaurants, Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous. You enter the restaurant from an alley that’s full of heavenly smells of smoking pork and customers waiting to get a seat. How can you not love a world famous barbecue joint that’s in an alley? The ‘Vous is known for it’s “dry ribs” that use only a spicy barbecue rub and no sauce. Not to worry if you love barbecue sauce — a cold drink of beer with each bite will work just nicely.

The Rendezvous is in midtown near the world famous Peabody Hotel. Head a couple of blocks south to “The Home of the Blues”, Beale Street, and you will find several more excellent restaurants to try. Sitting right across the street from each other at the entrance to Beale are B B King’s and Blues City Cafe. Both serve tangy sweet, sauce covered ribs and pulled pork with a backdrop of some of the best blues music you’ll ever hear. Both restaurants feature full menus, ranging from gumbo to crab. But who cares — we’re here to eat barbecue!

East a bit on Beale, past the Elvis stores, the Blues bars and Fed-Ex Forum, you’ll find Silky O’Sullivan’s. Don’t let the Irish name fool you. Mr. O’Sullivan knows his barbecue. Start your meal with a plate of BBQ Nachos then get down to serious eating with a rack of the ribs. Just be careful with the “Diver!”

Getting out of the downtown area, don’t miss Corky’s and Interstate. Even though both places have gone “chain” and are apt to be full of tourists, both have excellent barbecue and you can pick up a bottle or two of their sauce to take home with you.

On the last night of your stay treat yourself with a trip to the place where the locals go when they want barbecue, Cozy Corner. Michael Stern of “Roadfood” says, “If you have time for just one barbecue meal in Memphis (or anywhere on earth), go to Cozy Corner.” The specialties of this down-home joint are barbecued cornish game hens, barbecued spaghetti and barbecued baloney. All three have to be tried to be believed.

That’s seven day’s worth of Memphis barbecue for a normal person to try or about a day and a half’s worth for the true barbecue Nut. But even if you eat barbecue for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can get your fill in Memphis.

Peter Finch


Dinosaur Barbecue is a must visit if one has been to New York. One may want to miss out on few adventures during your stay at New York but certainly not Dinosaur Barbecue. Dinosaur Barbecue seems to be the most appealing and popular eating out places there.

The barbecue restaurant serves authentic barbecue dishes made in their patented sauces and rubs and cooked in their large pits of barbecue each with a separate nomenclature. Surely, the restaurant has become synonymous with the place and has been established in three places in Rochester, NY; Syracuse, NY and New York City.

All those who have had a chance to go to New York for work or for pleasure must have heard locals vouching for the mouth watering appetizers and the meal served there. One would like to visit the place for himself and check out the exotic food served.

A tremendously appealing place to be alone or with family and friends!!! You can be lucky enough to get a place or can do your pre-bookings online to be sure. People from all walks of life pour in during afternoons and it seems to be pretty busy at this place. One can witness their efficient staff handling both the crowd and the orders with dexterity.

Dinosaur Barbecue is the dream baby of a team of three biker friends who decided to settle in Syracuse NY. The restaurant has been registered under the name of John Stage as owner. Since its establishment, the place has been gathering reasonable crowd and winning acclaims. Dinosaur Barbecue and their blue club have been nationally acclaimed as the best in the country.

You can place Your orders from their interestingly designed menu, while lending your ears to the house rocking and foot stomping live music played by the artists. You need to taste their appetizers before rushing for the meal. Well done Chicken wings with hot and spicy Wango Tango sauce…Yummy!!

For the main course meal you can prefer going by the menu or order the specialties such as the mini-lettuce wedge with Bar-B-Blues dressing and the Syracuse-style salt potatoes. You will be amazed as to the number of options that one has to choose from. If you are a food connoisseur, it would be a hard time selecting one and leaving the others. Nevertheless, this also leaves the door open for you to plan your next visit soon.

Dinosaur barbecue has lined up its own store that serves spicy and finger licking sauces and rubs, merchandise such as pint glasses, Dino growler and books, dressings etc. The goods are well priced. These goods have buyers from all over U.S.A., Australia and England.

While you are trying out their sauces be prepared to come across catchy names that grab immediate attention – sensuous slathering sauce, Wango Tango Habanera hot Barbecue Sauce, Cajun foreplay spicy rub to name a few.

Much to the respite of the owners and the patriots of Dinosaur Barbecue, the restaurant has come out clean from a recent controversy that engulfed it when around 300 people fell ill. Later, the food council declared that the reason for illness was airborne virus and not the food served at Dinosaur BBQ Syracuse, NYC.