Juke Joint Rendezvous - Memphis

They get mixed reviews, but when I went it was great! I was rolling through town and dead set on a rondevous with BBQ. I had my family drop me off, as let 's be serious there 's no place to park when pulling a trailer. I popped out and walked over to get my glamour shot in front of the world famous sign and then moseyed on down the stairs. I sauntered up to the hostess and said I want an order to go, she pointed me to the bar and so I ordered. While waiting I walked toward the open kitchen pit and the guys were all smiles and happy to say hello and even give a thumbs up for a shot. I got a little of everything and surprisingly the brisket may have been the most tasty. I 'm from Texas and we take brisket serious and admittedly it was solid. I liked all the meats. I wasn 't crazy about the potato salad and straight up didn 't like the cole slaw, but didn 't go there for them in the first place. All in all a fun experience! I was back on the road with my to-go plate in under 15 minutes and had a happy belly as we ventured back home to TX.

My family and I came from CA. The best we have there is Lucille's BBQ and Famous Dave's. We just visited this Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous because of the reviews. We had very high expectations, being Memphis and all. Just being honest here, so don't shoot the messenger: it was disappointing. The meat was dry. The flavors were OK. All the sides had odd flavors. That would be a whole other review, so I won't bother here. POINTS OF REFERENCE: 1. Gus' World Famous Fried Chicken. 2. Central BBQ. Both places absolutely blew the Rendezvous away. It's not even close. It would be like comparing a Mom Pop Trattoria to the Olive Garden or Geno's Philly Cheesesteaks to Subway. Ultimately, it's not horrible, but I can honestly say that I can get better BBQ in California. I know that statement will tick off the locals, but again . . . just being honest.

At Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, you can smell the smoke from the charcoal-fired pits around the corner on 3rd Street. Follow the scent down the alley to the red-and-green striped awnings, then descend into the basement dining room with its old tile floor, red-checkered tablecloths, and photo-lined walls. This classic spot is a step back in time. Rendezvous is the birthplace of Memphis-style dry-rubbed ribs. It all started in 1948 when Charlie Vergos, son of Greek immigrants, opened a sandwich shop in the building 's basement. Initially selling ham sandwiches and beer, Vergos converted the old coal chute into a smoker. Experimenting with various meats, he eventually tried pork ribs, guided by his right-hand man, Little John. Vergos added his Greek chili spice blend to the ribs, creating a unique dry rub. By the late 1950s, Rendezvous ' charcoaled ribs had become a Memphis institution, serving 750 orders on a typical Saturday night.

Last we were here was about 25 years ago. I had very good memories of that experience. We were back in town and had to stop in for an early dinner. We were able to grab a table and were quickly served by the very friendly staff. Once ordered the food comes out in a flash. I got the large rack of ribs and my wife the greek salad. The salad was very good and very fresh. Unfortunately the main attraction, the ribs, were just OK. In the last two decades I have now had a variety of smoked ribs in Texas and elsewhere in the country that are superior to the grilled variety here. The ribs were a bit tough and not that juicy though I do like the dry rub (though a bit over rubbed... . The beans and spicy coleslaw were very good. I did try a bit of their sauce on the ribs but it was not to my liking so I stuck with the dry rub, So a bit of a sad experience since I had such good memories.

Rendezvous is a highly visited historic resturant in downtown Memphis walking distance from the Peabody Hotel. With its great history since 1948, I had to eventually try even though there are so many great bbq joints in town. I really liked the inside aesthetic. It's casual and essentially in a basement but well decorated with old photos and signed celebrity photos. The wait staff was great and attentive. The food itself I wasn't a huge fan of personally and only really for 3 stars. Dry rub flavor is good, a bit spicy. Portion sizes are small for the price. Nachos were underwhelming. Appetizer plate meats actually kinda cold when they came out and again small for the price. I think this is one of those places to come once and say you've been, and then go try many many other great Memphis bbq places in town.