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Memphis Blues Barbeque house features southern comfort food including melt-in-your-mouth ribs. There are several other locations in the Lower Mainland.
I've been going to Memphis Blues for a few years, ever since a friend took me there for the Elvis platter. I think it is the barbecue sauce that keeps me coming back. It really is quite good. Also, this restaurant is pretty unique in the Vancouver culinary landscape. There aren't many options for bbq meat, baked beans and cornbread.
My only complaint is that they are too stingy with the cornbread and buying it as a side is too expensive.
More cornbread please...
I was so excited to eat here, as I did my research about good food. Memphis Blue's captured my heart, but soon left my heart after my 1st bite.
The ribs taste like they're baked in an oven. The taste was bad and I could see leftover meat residue from where the ribs sat in a baking pan. I overlooked that. I poured sauce on my ribs, but the sauce was THE WORST I've ever had... The beans taste identical to using a can opener and heating them in a microwave.. Like pork n beans. The colseslaw and potato salad was meh!!!! The only item that was semi alright was the cornbread, and that taste like, cornmeal egg and milk... I was looking forward to sweet cornbread with other fixins mixed, like other bbq joints I've eaten at.
I've not traveled to Memphis, but this bbq is a digrace to Memphis bbq... My daughter even said the food was nasty..... Add some more spices and smoke or grill the meat and UPGRADE the sauce and I might check back on another visit to BC.. For now, this is an aquired taste you need for Memphis Blues, sort of like caviar... ugh.
I honestly have no idea what the hype is about this food.
Food: A lot of meat - wow. Ordered the Elvis platter and had plenty to take home but I didn't think the food was particularly great tasting. The majority of the food came cold which I didn't expect from a BBQ house. Sausage, ribs and pulled pork were great. Hen was actually quite bland - needed a lot of BBQ sauce. Coleslaw and potato salad were a hit but fries were limp and the beans were ok. I think a lot of people equate portion size as being a the main factor of their rating but I think taste is also very important and if it wasn't for the BBQ sauce in the bottle/bowl, this meat would fall flat.
Service: Almost non-existent. Def. no need to tip.
Ambiance: Almost cafeteria-like and the music can get too loud for conversation. Def. just a place to go with pals.
Memphis seems to be a popular spot as this was the first time I've actually been able to get a table. Its a small place with relaxed service; you order your food and drinks from counter. We ordered the Elvis Platter which included too many types of meat to remember, slaw, potato salad, beans and more meat. Oh yeah and then they threw some more meat on top of the platter for good measure. The $60 platter easily fed 6 people so its fairly economical place to eat. I might add another review in a few days when the entire dining experience has been completed.
my b/f and i had been invited to try out this place and after looking over the menu and hearing 3rd party reviews how the Elvis Platter could feed 6 hefty guys w/ leftovers to take home we agreed to check this place out.
food: Elvis platter def does feed 6 large eaters no problem! there is a variety of different types of bbq meats and sides such as potato salad, coleslaw, beans, and fries. the meat was alright, i dont like the fact that it is prepared b4 hand and therefore comes out cold. sides were pretty good. i def liked the seasoned fries.
service: we had heard it was a self serve place kinda like nandos so i wasn't too surprised. the waitress was nice enough to accomodate our larger group and she was constantly busy seating and cleaning tables. the food came out pretty fast, but everything is premade.
ambiance: busy! crowded! def be prepared to wait! the decor is kinda tacky...but i guess it is suppose to be "southern"?!
overall: worth trying atleast once, but if your not big into meat, forget it!
Over the years I have been to this place about 8 or 9 times. The first few times my wife and I absolutly loved it. Unfortunatly the last few times have been really unpredictable, some times good other times almost totally inedible. We last visited Memphis Blues a few days ago after dropping off my in-laws at yvr we came back to town late tired and hungry and decided to get a feast to go. The prices I noticed had gone way up from what I remember (used to be under $30 now Over $40 for a feast platter) we got home opened it up and couldnt evan eat most of it the sausage was good, pulled pork was fine everything else was terrible.
The brisket was hard the chicken was petrified,ribs thin and dry, sides tasteless. We couldnt eat most of it.
Bottom line, these guys used to be one the (if not the) best values in town, now with higher prices and crapshoot products I can't go back. I want to back but what I want to go back to is Memphis Blues 5 years ago when the food was alway good and the price was right.
I was a bit hesitant to try this place after the recent reviews being more on the negative side of things. But it was better than I expected and the food wasn't as terrible as the reviews before have said. We got the Feast platter which had a sample of all the meats and all the side dishes for $46. I thought it was pretty good overall, the only ones I didn't like much was the coleslaw and the chicken was a bit dry. Otherwise the pulled pork and others were very tender especially the brisket. I would recommend this to groups of 4+...I don't know how 2 people would finish this! Everyone around us were packing up their meals to go too.
This place is good by Vancouver standards but by absolute southern barbecue standards it is but mediocre.
The pulled pork is good as are the sausages and the brisket. The ribs are tough and poorly cooked, hardly fall-off-the-bone tender. The Cornish game hen is terrible.
If you ever have a chance to eat barbecue in Kansas City or St. Louis or Memphis or Austin you'll think this place is pretty grim.
I had an out of town guest who was looking for good BBQ ribs. This was the first place I can think of.
The 5 of us, 3 adults and 2 kids, shared the Elvis Platter. We arrived just before the dinner rush and were seated promptly. The sausage was ok, and the pulled pork was palatable. However, the chicken and ribs were DRY. We hardly touch either. It was a real disappointment. At the end of the meal, we left half a chicken and almost all the ribs on the plate and only took home the pulled pork.
The service was ... friendly? I mean it is a self-service place, so ...
The room and music was fun though. Even the self-service thing is kind of fun. Only complain is the space. The table is so small that after placing the platter on the table, there is no room for our side plates. Add to that 2 restless kids ...
Even though the food was below our expectation, I quite enjoyed the evening. I will give it another try, without the kids though. Perhaps the chef had an off day.
Memphis Blues, only two locations (that I know of) and we had to pick the Broadway one.
Food: We ordered the "Elvis" Platter which was bigger that the other ones. There were 12 in our party so we had to order two platter. They came with enough food for 11 people. I was left hungery after we left. Lots of GOOD food, meats and sides, but not enough for 12.
Service: Slow, only had one server taking the number of people in you party outside. There was a huge line up. We waited 1/2 to an hour to be finally seated.
Ambiance: Small and crowded. The building itself is a small narrow restaurant. Not more than 8 or 9 tables inside. Maybe even less. Small space means LOUD place.
The Commercial Drive location is much bigger, maybe twice it size and more tables.
Went with five friends today and upon arrival had to wait about half-an-hour for a table at around 8 on a friday. Make sure to put your name on the list if there's a line up.
Basically you just go up to the counter and order whatever, pay for it, and they'll bring it to your table.
We ordered the Elvis platter and it was gigantic!! It can with cornbread, fries, coleslaw, potato salad, chilli, pulled pork, sausage, a whole chicken (i think), ribends, and sliced brisket. We couldn't finish it, but had eaten enough that the leftovers weren't worth packing up. I ate so much I could barely walk after :P.
The best thing out of all of the items from the platter were the ribs, which disappeared really fast and the sausage. I liked the cornbread and how it was moist.
Great BBQ, the way it was meant to be. Cool place with super good food. The service sucked, but our bill was only $120 for 3 couples, including two pitchers of beer.
Great place for a casual meal with friends.
The food here is delicious! I came here with a couple of guys (6-8), ordered the largest meal on the menu, i think the Elvis platter? It was very very good, but it didn't fill me up. Service is okay, but need more people on the floor. But what makes this restaurant different from the others is the glass bottle pop. Cane sugar Cola, rootbeer, and sprite.
I love eating here. The decor is fantastic, the music is always good, the people are very nice, and the food is GOOD. The pulled pork with salad and cornbread is a personal favourite, as is the Elvis Platter when feeding a crowd.
I've been to countless resto, buffet in US and CAN. This is the first BBQ place that can ruin my appetite. First finding a parking is tough and well the interior is very small and packed.
We went there because of my friend's birthday, and we ordered 2 Elvis platters. The only thing that is edible in this platter is the pull pork and maybe the ribs. The chicken is probably the worst, tasteless and super DRY, and it made COSTCO roast chicken like a winner. The bean is blah just like a can bean, coleslaw ...not close to a real cole slaw. The rest of the meat is cold...and...not like MONTANA's fall off the bone type thing. After several bite...that's it, I can't handle it no more. The ORIGINAL BBQ sauce is too overpowering.... Mind you that I've been to a BBQ championship in PORTLAND, and not even one competitor used an original BBQ sauce. That is old tech, now most BBQ rest like MONTANA's and TONY ROMA's used a subtle sweetier and a tad tanginess with still some zing of BBQ sauce. Now, if you are a meat eater and care more about the quantity than quality. This is the place for you. But if you think MONTANA's and TONY ROMA's is good then you'll be very dissapointed with Memphis Blues.
The service is ok because it's like a fast food place. This restaurant reminds me of the CIRCUS CIRCUS BUFFET in Las Vegas, with most of their food is from the can. I will not come back again.
This is not the place to go if you don't eat meat! Well, maybe an oyster po'boy might be the ticket if you're into that. However, if there are a few of you, you are hungry, and you aren't dressed up (because getting BBQ sauce on yourself is inevitable), Memphis Blues has your order! Like most people, we order the platter (not the Elvis one, but the $30 feast!) What a great selection of stuff, but I really dig the brisket. And more sauce to go with it! Yeah! And these folks are civil enough to include bottles of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce - I'll put that stuff on anything. Fun selection of sodas, too - be a little adventurous and try something besides Coke to wash it all down - the cream soda we had was excellent! Not too sweet! And the pig wasn't flying the last time I was there - hope it isn't broken! The music can be a little loud at times, but it's part of the "ambiance"! And there is take-out if you want to go eat on the beach or something!
if you like a good BBQ this place is not to be missed, but be prepared for the biggest pile of tender, juicy meat you have ever seen!
My girlfriend and I went here for dinner, and we had the BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, fries, coleslaw, and BBQ beans. After having lived in the south, we had high expectations for what bbq should be. The food wasn't bad exactly... it just doesn't hold a candle to real BBQ. If you have ever had authentic BBQ from the American south, you'll see what I mean. Not bad BBQ, just mediocre. Other than that, service is decent (although I can see how some would be turned off by the ordering counter idea), and the food is fairly cheap.
If someone ask me if I'return to this place, this is my answer: Not at all. Those guys are thinking we are stupids. The "American"way to BBQ is no loger atractive any more. Tooooo greeease, same taste for everything, only BBQ sauce flavour. The pulled pork is so bad that I coul'dn't eat, the rib - too bad. An the guys look at you as they are doing favour. Hey people wake up. May be in Memphis, Atlanta or floria, but not here.
Well, we generally visit memphis once a week now. We've been a few times when they've had Lamb Sandwich on special, and it is fabulous. I think they should put it on their menu, and I've told them this many times. It is the best meal I've had there.
Sevice has improved a little, but still essentially feel like they're just retail clerks ringing you through.
But they certainly make for an excellent lunch spot, especailly when 2 can eat for under $25 including tax and tip.
| 1. | Commercial (4.9 km) |  |
| 2. | Hillcrest Village (34.9 km) |  |
| 3. | Surrey (35.7 km) | |
| 1. | Cru (9 m) |  |
| 2. | Vera's Burger Shack (10 m) | |
| 3. | Fortune Garden Seafood Restaurant (11 m) | |
| 4. | Bawan's Donair & Pizza (16 m) | |
| 5. | Q Go Ramen (23 m) | |
| 6. | Saigon Pacific (27 m) |  |
| 7. | Portobello Ristorante (41 m) | |
| 8. | McDonald's (45 m) |  |
| 9. | Kaneda Japanese Restaurant (55 m) | |
| 10. | Joey Tomato's Mediterranean Grill (61 m) | |
