Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

Rendezvous is a must visit when in Memphis. The Vergos family is very warm and inviting. My son and I ordered this brisket and a full rack of ribs. This was an experience. Ribs on the charcoal kind of reminded us of the pork souvlakia we get in Greece. The flavor was dynamite. The sauce was tangy and the ribs were great with or without it. The brisket was nothing like I have ever had in California. It was tender and juicy. Our stuff is always dried out, but I guess when you serve thousands a day, it is always fresh and delicious. The waiters and employees are all very nice as well and aim to please. I love that the Greeks came to the south to show how Barbecue is done. !There is one negative aspect to this restaurant. When your food arrives at the table and you begin to eat, everyone around you that hasn't gotten their plates begins to stare and maybe even ask you questions. All I wanted was to lick my fingers and suck on those bones but these tourists came and asked me about the ribs. You want them and you should get them. It's not even a decision.

We planned out whole day trip to Memphis around Rendezvous!What an experience! I never really had southern barbecue before, and I am talking about the true southern barbecue. My sister in law fell in love and never wanted to leave. The ambience of this place is something else! It's very cool, fast, hustle, friendly, and delicious. As entering from a street, you can smell the ribs and spices doing its magic!We had a great time, great food and $4 beer. You can't beat that

Food came out quick. Waiter was good. Could have come around more but not an issue with us. Get the brisket, followed by the ribs. Choose the chicken last. Didn't try the pork. Only side I had were the beans and slaw. I would've passed on the slaw. Not my taste. Beans were better. Food is good. Would go again. Pretty laid back atmosphere.

We had a large group of twenty-five people. They assigned one waiter who a as phenomenal. We only called in an hour in advance for 12 but they still had no pr o blem with our additional 8. We were greated by complimentary rice and beans. The service was fast. The sausages were the highlight for me the cheese and sausage plate came with pickles that were prefect and crisp. The shoulder meat was tender as were the ribs. I am a person who doesn't like salt but this was lacking so I know to many they would need more. i would reccomend better sauce recipes to help accent the food.

I heard this was the original BBQ place from a local coworker and it happened to be right next to my hotel. I literally walked out of my hotel and followed my nose to the front door. The restaurant is a flight of stairs down and had a very classic feel to it. Ribs and brisket combo was recommended by the bartender so I ordered a Fireside Amber Ale and the combo. The brisket had great bark and was very tender. The original sauce had a slight tangy flavor that was not too overpowering with vinegar. The ribs had a traditional dry rub. They were not the meatiest ribs but were tasty. Glad I tried this place while visiting Memphis.

I really enjoyed my meal at Rendezvous. People say it is overrated, but I thought the meat was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The dry rub has a nice zing to it and pairs well with the hot bbq sauce. I bought a $5 pack of seasoning to take home too! Service was quick and hospitable. The location is in an alley way with plenty of seating inside. Highly recommend getting the ribs with a few sides and a drink.

Like New York is famous for their iconic pizza, Memphis is known for their legendary barbeque! As such, no trip to the Bluff City is complete without a trip to Graceland or a stop at one of the many barbeque joints. I found this place courtesy of a Google review, which proved quite helpful as there are a plethora of restaurants scattered across the city. Being from Cleveland, Ohio, the dearth of legitimate bbq establishments is quite noticeable, which makes it a challenge to find a decent place.The restaurant is located on a brick side street downtown, with parking available within walking distance. Once you enter, you have to descend a set of stairs to the basement, which houses the dining area and kitchen. I stopped by on a relatively slow weekday afternoon and was promptly seated. The interior is low lit but spacious, with checkered table clothes and memorabilia adorning the walls. There is a full bar within view of the kitchen. Being a selective meat eater with aversions to beef and pork, I usually have a tough time with bbq; however, the menu offered grilled chicken. I opted for a grilled chicken sandwich, which came with a side of baked beans and a vinegar-infused coleslaw. In addition to chicken, they also have beef brisket, pork shoulder, and lamb riblets. When my food arrived I was ready to get started. The boneless chicken was tender, and smoked to perfection using their famous charcoal method. I drenched the meat in a generous helping of bbq sauce (Rendezvous Original), and every bite was a piece of heaven. The beans and coleslaw were both terrific side dishes that paired well with the chicken. Trying to decide upon a barbeque restaurant to dine at in Memphis is like figuring out which ice cream flavor you want to sample. If it's your first time, it may be even more difficult. As such, after dining at Rendezvous, I can comfortably say that your decision will be simplified by patronizing their establishment. Just don't get lost in the sauce!

The place is unique and good in its own way....but maybe not for everybody. Why? The bbq here isn't the prototypical bbq. This bbq is done with all Kingsford charcoal. The way you'll know if you'll like it, before you even try it:The smell you smell outside and at the entrance - that is exactly how your bbq'd meats will taste. It is a heavy heavy charcoal taste. The hotter / quicker cooking style....has the ribs having a rougher chew....but not unreasonable. The brisket surprisingly, was a good tender enough chew. One side that was a unique great - was the cole slaw. A bright, tart but balanced type cole slaw. This was a perfect side as you eat fattier meat proteins. Ambiance to this long standing bbq place: Flat out neat. There's stuff to look at all over the place.

Always so amazing!! Love my Geno Hall always a good time .. part of Memphis and you can't miss out !! The atmosphere is just another place you gotta experience for yourself ... go visit the Rendezvous and say Hi to Geno tell him Julie sent ya

TL;DR: Good ribs but if Cozy Corner is open, go there insteadOrdered: Small char-broiled ribs, potato salad, and beans (4/5): while I appreciate the amount of ribs in a small order, the quality left a desire for a better meal. Memphis dry rub is great but the meat itself was definitely drier than it should've been. The sides were good but all a little too heavy on the salt. On a side-by-side comparison, the ribs from Cozy Corner are much better. As such, I'll probably only come to Rendezvous when I'm in the mood for ribs AND Cozy Corner is closed for whatever reason.