3. Corky's Bar-B-Q

Best BBQ in Memphis
This is the straight up best BBQ in Memphis!

Downhill
18 years ago the pulled pork was served at a post wedding function of mine in Memphis...since then...wow...it tried to franchise and downhill went the quality...sorry...it's just average at best.

Barbecue how it should be
I've eaten at Corky's 4 times, and live 10 hours away... On a 'foodie weekend', my girlfriend and I drove to Memphis from Northeast Ohio to take in Memphis' "best barbecue restaurants"... or at least their most famous. Corky's was the best ribs by far, esp. the dry rub ribs, w/ only Neely's interstate barbecue coming close. I know Rendezvous is renowned, but the next trip we'll be staying at the Poplar Ave. Hampton Inn just so we're closest to Corky's.

Corkey's is the very best!!...at marketing, that is!!
I lived in Memphis for many years, & have eaten at Corkey's more times than I care to admit, both in Memphis & elsewhere. Give them credit. NOBODY in the BBQ business has done a better job at brand-marketing. These guys are superb businessmen. And to be fair, the Q they cooked back in the day at Memphis in May was undoubtedly great. That's where it ends. This is world-class Feaux-Que. The meat is not smoked or cooked on charcoal, but in ovens. Any smoke flavor is added artificially. The ribs are "stamped" with what is virtually a branding-iron when they come out, to make them look like they're grilled. The meat does not fall off the bone like legit smoked BBQ, nor does it look or taste like legit smoked BBQ. It's the most popular in town, by both locals & visitors, so as I said, give credit where credit is due - these guys are excellent businessmen, and there's something to be said for that. The food is not bad, so don't get me wrong. I'd never choose to go there, but will go if invited. But put in perspective of Memphis BBQ, it's not even among the best 10 or 12 places. This is BBQ for people who think BBQ is a verb, or for people who don't like real BBQ. To each his/her own.

Excellent!!! Excellent!!! Excellent!!!
What else can we say!!! We visited Corky's on a recommendation and sure were glad we did. We live in California and were in town on vacation with some relatives. My wife and myself ordered the rib slab for two and were so glad we did. We have been to many barbeque places in our travels and had always eaten ribs 'wet'. Well we ordered this slab 1/2 wet and 1/2 dry. WOW!! We are definately 'dry' rub rib fans now. The 'wet' ones are excellent to. Thumbs up to Corky's!!!

the only thing we had was the pulled pork sandwiches. We order the regular sized one and it was huge! It was tender and had a great taste to it. Their bbq sauce was excellent also. The potato salad had bacon in it, there was no way you could go wrong.

Now that is REAL BBQ
After disappointing meals at Neelys and Interstate BBQ, we found REAL BBQ at Corky's. We enjoyed both the dry and wet ribs (my husband loved the dry and I loved the wet). We also had the pulled pork and brisket, which were both wonderful. We knew we had found a REAL BBQ joint when we opened our truck doors, the smell from outside had that authentic smoke smell. Our service from AC was outstanding, he kept our glasses full and we had rolls in seconds of sitting down. If you want an excellent meal while you are in Memphis, you definitely want to go to Corky's!

absolutely wonderfull. dry rubed ribs were best. great spice rub taste but ribs were tender and very moist. wet ribs wer great also, sauce has great sweet flavor. service was exceptional even though they were very busy. bean and slaw were good but not as good as at neelys Interstate bbq. sausage was just salty kielbasa with sauce. interstate also has better sausage. BUT DONT MISS THIS, the dry rubbed ribs were the best bbq of any kind i have ever eaten. i hope i have a reason to go back to memphis to eat some more.

we went to corkys sunday before labor day.the ribs were the best i've ever had and the pulled pork was superb.i wish they had a place in new jersey.i'd eat there every day

I was somewhat disappointed. I have heard all these years about Corky's and after eating it, I guess my expectations of what it should have been, were way off. Had the pulled pork and it was dry and I had to saturate it with sauce.

The barbecue is okay. I like the barbecue nachos. If you only eat at one BBQ joint in Memphis, don't make it here!

I had the wet ribs and was very disappointed. They were very dried out.

a special tradition in memphis for me. love it... love it...love it...loyal to corkys's bbq forever! best bartending staff ever is at corky's at the memphis airport!

If you are foom Memphis--you are either dry-rub or web ribs fans. But you normally aren't both. I am the first--I enjoy tasting the meat and not so much sweet sauce. So I don't like Corky's. Sorry.

Ribs and pork shoulder! My wife and I make a pilgrimage to Memphis at least twice a year from Texas to eat at Corky's. I also mail order gifts to business associates each Christmas and they are to the point, they ask me when their Corky's is coming...ha ha.

I have eaten at Corky's 3 times. I think the food is poor quality covered up by too much BBQ sauce. I do not recommend this restaurant.

I grew up in Memphis and I have to say I was very disappointed. I have had much, much better BBQ in several different places.

A way of life in Memphis----this is the place (actually there are several) really friendly help and the bbq can't be beat, and that's why you go there!!