Rendezvous, Memphis

I am usually a very easy to please person, so it takes a lot to make me say "Do Not Go There!" But I can say that about Rendezvous. We went to this place because it was supposed to have the best BBQ in Memphis. Here is what we found:

1. everything was extremely overpriced
2. service was horrible, our waiter kept avoiding us, then took 10 min to bring us our drinks, then left our meal sitting on a table by the wall and a bus boy delivered it later, never checked on us, only came back to bring the check and never returned.
3. ribs were tough and dry, not good at all and hard to eat
4. side dishes were served in tiny plastic cups that were meant to hold sauce. They were the size of the palm of my hand! On top of that, they gave you baby-sized plastic cocktail spoons to make it feel like you were eating more. I could have swallowed the entire side dish in one gulp.
5. parking cost $10 due to a baseball game

In short, this was a complete waste of money and a disappointing experience. I saw some other posters who said the same thing about this place, but didn't want to believe it. I wish I had. If you want excellent BBQ go to Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ, it was cheap and fantastic!

Favorite Dish: I honestly didn't think anything tasted very good. The cole slaw was very strong, tasted weird and unpleasant. The baked beans were ok, but I only got two bites of them in that little cup!

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Just a half-block down an alley from the Peabody hotel, Charlie Vergo's Rendevous is well-known among a large selection of Memphis BBQ eateries. Rendevous certainly has been around long enough (over 50 years) and many of its waitstaff have worked there for many years. Rendevous specializes in a dry BBQ which consists of meat that has a special seasoning applied to the outside which is then slow cooked to mouth watering perfection.

If you'd rather have your BBQ with sauce, you can order your ribs wet (i.e., cooked with a sauce). Rendevous also has its own sauce that you can add at the table. But I recommend at least trying the dry rub BBQ without sauce before dousing it. You may find that you like it better. I certainly did. It's a taste and type of BBQ that I had never before experienced so flavorful was the rub. And the meat easily came away from the bone as tender as it was. I had the full slab of dry ribs. Great taste/flavor and not greasy. Rita had the wet ribs which were also very good but I liked the uniqueness (for me anyway) of the dry.

Good and friendly staff and a fun atmosphere. The could use some bolstering of their on tap beer choices however.

Favorite Dish: Dry rub pork ribs

This is such a Memphis tradition for me. This s one of the "dry rib" places. SOrt of hard to find, but worth it. No frills, but outstanding ribs. Gotta just get a pitcher or two of beer, cheese platter and rack of ribs. Fall off of the bone tender and outstanding!!!
Not to miss

Favorite Dish: Ribs and beer!!!

I must say that this place is a 'legend in it's OWN mind', or for people that don't know any better. Some of the reviews here are 2 years old or date back to almost 2003. The BBQ is dry and reminds you of eating something akin to sawdust. The ribs taste like they have been sitting under a friggen heatlamp for days. The service is loust and indifferent. Many of the servers act as though they are doing you a favour. This place may have been something special in the 1970s, but it's truly lousy. There are better BBQ places. The servers act like they are in some kind of oppressive, southern timewrap. It needs to fade away with 'Ole Man River'.

PASS

Favorite Dish: Nothing is good...maybe the beer on second thought

A boisterous hangout! Rendezvous is a cozy cellar that draws all to take a part of their offerings of chicken, rib, and all things barbeque. Collectibles and Memphis what-nots adorn the walls. And the ceiling. And hang all over each other every which way covering everything. The whole place is an amazing eclectic explosion of historical fun.

Favorite Dish: Not since Adam have ribs been so famous! (Sign at The Rendezvous) Don't forget to start with the cheese plate!

We knew about this place before we came. On our run Friday morning, we peered down downtown alleys in search of this restaurant. Waiting for our car at the BW to go to Graceland, we smelled something fabulous as the door opened. We had found it, RIGHT next to our hotel! We went pretty early, around 5:30. No wait. This place is efficient! Our waiter was right there to take our order, and had a pitcher of Michelob (only thing they have on tap...but it flowed nice and smooth) ready within a few moments. The barbecue was excellent, and the people were friendly. The waiter gave us suggestions on where to go next, and even took a picture with us before we headed out. By 6:30 when we left, the waiting room was packed!

Favorite Dish: We were all too wimpy to order ribs...had barbecue sandwiches, chicken, pork, and beef, instead. They were all excellent. They have two kinds of BBQ sauce out on the tables...one is sweet, and the other is pretty spicy! I tried both, but the sweet sauce suited my mood a little better. All in all, a great meal!

This is the real thing. Established in 1948, the Rendezvous is known for the best ribs in Memphis. It is located in a huge, old basement in an alley downtown, the kind of place that you would never know was there unless you knew already, or unless someone pointed it out. We were there on a Friday night and the place was packed to the rafters. Saturdays are even worse, so go as early as you can. By the time we left a crowd of hungry people were sitting on the ground in the alley waiting to get in. I sympathized with them. The smell of the hickory smoke out there is enough to drive someone crazy!

Favorite Dish: The ribs are the best, better than any I've ever had in my life, but just about anything would taste good covered in their barbecue sauce. Bottles of the sauce are left out on the tables for you to add as much as you want, or even drink if you like. They have two varieties, mild and spicy. Both are amazing, but the spicy is really something special. Everything you order comes with coleslaw, which is also great. I could have eaten a bowl of it by itself.
Know what you want to order when the waiter comes. They don't like to have to come back and if you make them they will wait on everyone else first and make YOU wait fot them. Whatever you order, get a pitcher of beer to go with it. It's the best accompaniment to BBQ. Everything they have is available for mail order on their website. Closed Sundays.

Located close to the Peabody Hotel (of the marching ducks fame) in downtown Memphis, this places offers excellent food at good prices. The rendezvous' pork ribs are legendary, as are the wisecracking waiters and the vintage Memphis decor.

Favorite Dish: again, it's the ribs, but also chicken, beef, shrimp and the fixin's.