Corky's in Memphis..............

[sandlapper]

Recently saw a segment on QVC for Corky's Barbecue where they were selling ribs, mailorder! I found their website and was curious if anyone had ever eaten at Corky's in Memphis or, better yet ordered ribs by mail. I was thinking about doing so because they really looked good on TV but would prefer some firsthand info. Let me know. Thanks!

[Tom-Fl]

If you were in Memphis,there could be others you might choose before Corky's.

They do have a first class shipping system,though.

Had a neighbor that ordered a whole wedding rehearsal dinner from them.

It came in as promised.

Depending on where you live,there is a Corky's in many towns over 100,000 and you might be able to drive to one.

Tom

[Tom-Fl]

Randall, in the earlier post, has a good handle on Memphis Q.

If he chimes in,he might know more about their shipping.

I doubt he frequents Corky's,though.

Tom

[Randal Cooper]

I can't really vouch for the quality of barbecued good shipped via FedEx, but the three best-known establishments do ship all over the country:

Interstate
http://www.jimneelysinterstatebarbecue.com/
1-888-227-2793

Rendezvous
http://www.hogsfly.com/
1-888-HOGSFLY

Corky's
http://www.corkysbbq.com/
1-800-9-CORKYS

In addition, if you live in select parts of the country (or maybe the whole country, for all I know), you can find slabs of Corky's ribs in your grocer's freezer. Heat 'em up in the oven and they're pretty much indistinguishable from what you'll get in the restaurant, and you don't have to pay shipping and handling.

All three places make servicable barbecue, but it's been years since I've been to either Corky's or Rendezvous (I occasionally have lunch at Interstate, as it's close). Depending on the availability of locally-produced 'que where you live, it might be worth the phone call.

I can't in good conscience recommend actually ordering pre-cooked ribs through the mail, but they must all be good enough to generate repeat business.

[Al]

Sorry to get to this post late, but I have to add my $.02.

Corky's is not the best in Memphis - it's simply not what it used to be. I think we've all seen this situation before - when a restaurant starts franchising and branching out, it loses some focus on what made it great in the first place.

Last time I ate there was about 4 months ago, and the ribs were just not cooked to my liking at all - way too much fat left (not to say ribs aren't fatty, but good, slow-cooked ribs will have most of this nastiness rendered out).

Regarding Rendezvous, someone mentioned wet vs. dry. Not to shout, but DRY DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT HAS A LACK OF SAUCE WHEN SERVED. If I'm not mistaken, there are old threads devoted to this topic. The Rendezvous does serve dry ribs, and this is based on the cooking process, not based on the fact that they're not all sauced up when brought to the table.

Finally, I must reiterate that the Bar-B-Q Shop Texas toast pork sandwich cannot be beat (especially when it has the right amount of their Dancin' Pigs sauce on it). The slaw is OK and the beans are inconsistent, but the sammich is a winner through and through.

To add to the links Randal posted, you can season and sauce up your own ribs and sandwiches with the Bar-B-Q Shop's stuff - http://www.dancingpigs.com/.

[sandlapper]

:>/

[Raine™]

We have soem friends who live near memphis, the only thing they find worth ordering is the slaw.

[buddy cohen]

Corky's BBQ - in fact, all of Memphis BBQ is very much overrated. You want to order some good ribs - go to google.com - look for "dreamland bbq" - they're the best!

[Tee Crenshaw]

Sandlapper,
Corky's is not too bad. People's opinions about Corky's is similar to liver, you either love it or hate it. I live in NC but work for a Memphis based company and eat at Corky's when I visit Memphis with customers. I have ordered the ribs for friends and in truth, they are about 95% as good as what is served in the restaurant. One tip: if you have a Fedex account, use your number (or your company's and reimburse) and you will save LOTS of money. Corky's uses shipping as an additional revenue stream, and pad the heck out of the shipping costs.

[Shirley]

I have to agree with just about everyone who has replied to your question. Corky's is, by far, not the best BBQ in Memphis. If you really want to try it and don't want to pay over $50 for a slab to be shipped to you, then I rec. the grocery store freezer like the other responder does. Don't waste your money on their food, it just doesn't really hold up to some of Memphis' finer BBQ joints. Interstate, Central BBQ, Top's, and maybe Bryant's would be considered the best by native Memphian's. Yes, Corky's is a chain and even has locations in airports all over the country now. It's just not what it used to be about 15-20 years ago. I don't rec. the Rendevous either. Tough, tired, and dry ribs that tend to be over smoked is their style there. Ofcourse "dry" ribs or no sauce ribs is what they serve at Rendevous, but they really should do something to moisten those ribs up. There's also a place in Somerville, Tn. (about 25 miles outside of Memphis) called The Hut. They have the best smoked shoulder I've ever had. They're a little country but if you have friends in Memphis, I'm sure they would be happy to dry ice you some overngight. It's worth the drive. Their sauce is horrible but the meat alone doesn't even need sauce.

[FireHouseBBQ]

Don't waist you time or money. I ate there about five years ago had the pulled pork sandwich and after two bites I broke a tooth on a bone that was in the sandwich. My wife had the ribs she said she would not get them again. I would really try some local spot.

Craig

[The Mikado]

About a month ago, a friend of mine and I went to Memphis. One of the reasons was to buy, compare and devour BBQ. We focused on ribs.

First, in response to other posters, I like Dreamland. But the best is in Tuscaloosa and some of the others aren't up to it.

Now, to Memphis: Of the 5-6 we tried in two days, Corky's was the worst, and I told the employees we were writing them up for a food article I'm drafting.

Dry, and not particularly tasty.

I was surprised to see how much I liked Rendezvous, as they are such a tourist trap. But our dry ribs were good, and the same "pickling mix" is used in the slaw, which was also unique. The beans were a little bizarre.

Well, won't go bean-by-bean. Interstate has the best hot sauce and their ribs were good. The sauce slowly warms you up...sneaks up on you and doesn't overwhelm the food.

Also check into the BBQ Shop. What is touted their is their sandwich, which came in tops twice in a row with the Memphis newspaper readers. It is as big as a horse. ha (But it's not one.)

The ribs at Cozy Corner were good (the neighborhood is no place to be at night), but we went their predominately for the BBQ cornish game hen...and had ribs on the side!

Anyway, this post is long enough.

Do yourself a favor and eat anywhere else but Corky's. We will.

[midwestskidude]

the rendezvous

if your definition of a tourist trap is the following then i agree with you:

been around for generations

serves some of the best bbq ribs in the usa

local families have their regular tables and waiters for generations

a local institution

haven't changed the decor in years+++

i doubt this is anybody's definition of a tourist trap!

well, they do sell t-shirts, so they must be a tourist trap.

[TroyOLeary]

I'm a newbie so I apologize if it's a faux paus to respond to a 6 year old post, but I cannot disagree more.

I've been on a number of barbeque tours of the South with high school friends. I've eaten at Dreamland BBQ in Birmingham, AL. We've eaten at Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro, KY. We ate in Kansas City, at places in North Carolina, in Oklahoma. We also ate the Rendezvous in Memphis.

Corky's "Dry" ribs plate at the location in Memphis is the single best plate of ribs I've ever had in my entire life. They're sweet and tangy, fall off the bone tender, and laced throughout with genuine smokiness.

And this is without even mentioning the slaw, beans, hot buttery dinner rolls, perfect sweet tea and fantastic pecan pie. I know I sound like an infomercial, but I can't help it -- this place is just that good.

I'm also too new to know if it's improper to link to Yelp, but people over there are seem equally in love with the place as I am: http://www.yelp.com/biz/corkys-ribs-a...

Now, I can't speak to the other meat dishes -- I've never tried the pulled pork or the beef. But having found what I consider to be rib perfection, I don't think I ever will.

Is it possible that some of the above posters were writing about the other Corky's franchises? That would make sense; the single WORST plate of ribs I've ever had in my life was at the location in Gatlinburg, TN. It had the texture of beef jerky and the flavor of a wet burlap sack.

But the Memphis Corky's? Pure pleasure.