Blues City Cafe

My travels have finally taken me to Memphis, TN. I've been looking forward to hitting Beale Street for some BBq and music. I love the blues. Now I know there are places off the strip here that probably are amazing,, but you do have to watch where you are in Memphis... plus the places on Beale are legendary!I chose Blues Cuty Cafe. Immediately walking in, you are hit with blues music that fits the vibes of this BBQ establishment and area around it. I was sat immediately. The woman that sat me was very friendly. Unfortunately, this is where the service ended. I never had anyone come by to ask how the food was or refill my drink. I had to flag them down to pay the bill and get a box... after waiting 10 minutes.Now that the negative is out of the way, let's talk about why I came here! They have classic southern bbq choices... ribs, chicken, etc. sides include hush puppies, coleslaw, baked beans, greens, etc. I chose the half rack rib and breaded catfish platter. It comes with a side of coleslaw, hushpuppies, slice of buttery toast, fries, and baked beans. There is a side of tartar sauce for the catfish.I loved the coleslaw. I love vinegar based coleslaw over thick mayo loaded slaw. It was delicious! The baked beans were the thinner style. What I suspect was either molasses or brown sugar... or both exploded in my mouth! So good! The fries were crispy on the outside but not dried out at all in the inside... perfect, with really good seasoning. The ribs.... Wow! I could debone the whole rib slab by effortlessly pulling the bones out! In fact, I had to use a knife to cut each rib out if I wanted eat them on the bone... because the meat literally is so tender it slides right off. Perfection!!!! The Memphis bbq sauce was lathered on but not too thick. It complimented the charred exterior of the ribs perfectly. But here is the kicker about this place... I'm not a big catfish person, so I came for the ribs. Man.... The catfish stole the whole show!!!! The catfish isn't "fishy" at all. The breading was delicious, and it was greasy. Sometime the grease is overwhelming on deep fried fish. The fish was amazing! I'd come back just for that! Do not come here and pass on the fish. I guarantee you will be missing out!Overall, the food was 5 stars easily!! I'll be back next time I end up in Memphis for sure! The only ding against them was I was sat alone and I felt like an afterthought... maybe a little forgotten. I won't let that stop me from tasting this awesomeness again though!!!!! Check Blues City Cafe out!!!!

We came here for lunch on the weekend. I think it's the best time to go, not very busy and we got sat right away. Staff is very nice, there is a host stand right in the front. The inside was a typical dinner, not super fancy but they offer plenty of seating and there is a bar in the back of the restaurant. Now the food, hands down the best ribs and catfish we had in Memphis. We got the dinner for 2 and split everything, plenty of food we were stuffed after. We loved the ribs and the catfish was awesome, seasoned perfectly. I would say a must in Memphis when you are there.

While traveling through Memphis on our way to another destination in Tennessee, we stopped at Blues City Café for a meal and it turned into a night to remember. This place perfectly captures the heart of Memphis with incredible food and live music that sets the tone for a lively, unforgettable evening.We started with the barbecue pork cheese fries, which were absolutely scrumptious a heavenly combination of cheesy, smoky goodness that's not to be missed. Next, we shared a rack of ribs, and they were everything ribs should be: tender, flavorful, and so good we found ourselves licking our fingers after every bite.The atmosphere is electric, thanks to the fantastic live music that fills the room. Blues City Café showcases local talent, and the music is so vibrant and energetic, it's hard not to find yourself swaying along. While the servers are extremely busy, they're hustling hard to keep up with the lively crowd. Give them some grace they're working hard to add to the overall great experience.If you're looking for delicious food, amazing music, and a true Memphis vibe, Blues City Café is the spot. It's not just a meal; it's an experience you'll be talking about long after you leave. Don't miss it!

I was met at the door by a friendly hostess that promptly seated me. She suggested I sit at the bar to enjoy my food as well as a game of my choice. Nice touch. But why were they not slammed busy I asked myself? I ordered a green house salad, that was overlooked and never arrived. I ordered a full each of ribs with no sides, yet it came with beans, Cole slaw, fries and a piece of toast. Most of which was wasted. The ribs were definitely good. Just good and nothing special. I wasn't asked if I wanted them wet or dry. I wasn't asked if I wanted sauce or not. When the ribs arrived, they weren't exactly hot, just warm. Not wet, just as though they had been sitting, under a heat lamp, waiting for someone to buy them.Lastly, the decor was what I expected for a cafe. Straightforward with a city vibe. All in all, it wasn't a bad experience, but it was pretty far from my best. The food was edible, the restaurant was clean. Most of the staff were complaining about lack of business and how slow they are. I'd give a hint, stop complaining in open space, and listen more closely to your customers request, only serve your customer what they ask for, and lastly look at the bill to make sure your customer received what you are charging them for!I'm on the fence if I will return because of so many other options and that's hard to say. For me this experience was barely a three.Decor 5/5Ambiance 2/5Patrons 2/5Service 2/5Food 3/5Location 3/5

This restaurant does a 5 stars.It is located in downtown Memphis.They customer service was great and friendly. The restaurant looks like a restaurant from the 70, very historical and clean.The ribs were falling off the bones. I had to eat them with a fork. It was definitely enough for two.I met 2 celebrity stars Golden Brooks from Girlfriends and Gary from the group Silk.I will be returning soon.

Oh my gosh .... I'm not a barbecue person.... BUT....This place was unbelievably delicious.... The ribs fell off the bone... the chicken tenders were the largest most tender chicken' I've ever had... the dessert was soooo good.... A definite must....The servicer was very efficient and friendly....

This place is amazing! We went there to grab a bite, which was great (loved the catfish and the ribs!} and saw a great Blues band. After trying the big name club across the street, we ended up back at the Cafe two more nights.

The place is neat enough inside and service was good on the day. They had the neon sign that said "chili and tamales"...so I had them:Tamales: These tamales have a sweet corn muffin casing. Never had them that way. I did eat all (3)) and I couldn't get used to this style of tamale. I like sweet corn muffins...but (not) as tamales (at all). Chili: the chili today was quite thin and watery base. The flavor wasn't too bad...and it's different...but I liked it well enough. May be an adobo chili powder being used, as there's a distinct front end taste that comes into your mouth, right off the bat. Almost a coffee flavor kinda. But, the chili wasn't too bad.

I'll be on here is amazing. The blues music in the attached bar is fantastic. The ribs were unbelievably good even at midnight. Located right on the corner. Decent service. Cocktails are spendy.

Overpriced tourist trap with just decent food. I've been here twice now and each time the food has been fine. The first time we had friendly service, but the second time both the hostess and our server were pretty rude. We waited about 30 minutes for a table and once we were seated we were pressured to order right away. We had a party of eight, but our server was annoyed when we asked for suggestions. Our table ordered a good selection off the menu and I ordered the ribs and catfish. The ribs were incredible dry (proof is in the picture). My son loved the catfish, but it was just your regular cornmeal catfish to me. If you're in a pinch and want something that feels like Beale Street, this is probably a decent spot for you, but if you're looking for delicious food and great service, I think there's better choices down the road.