Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ

BBQ is always a unique choice, as you sometimes choose your company wisely. Sometimes. It's a comfort food for some, and the last thing you want is some prude turning their nose up at your sticky fingers and saucy mouth. (a very slight double entendre lol)We went around noon. I feel like there are pros and cons with going earlier in the day. Everyone normally puts on their best face first thing in the morning, so usually the service and food have no reason to be terrible. The downside is the possibility of getting yesterday's dinner for today's breakfast/lunch, but luckily not every restaurant is like that. Upon entry, it could use a little update, but the interior is clean and spacious. COVID protocols are still in place, so dining in isn't really encouraged. It was a bit of a mixed message, as the sign by the door said no but the signs on the tables said yes. We went to order, and we asked the cashier. She was very nice about it, and said that it was fine that we dined in. There were only 2 to go orders and then there was us.We all decided on sandwiches, both pork and beef brisket with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. The brisket was really good. It was tender, and the pork was also tender. The baked beans were also good, and I liked that they weren't super sweet. The coleslaw was...odd. There wasn't much slaw on the sandwich, but as a stand alone side it was...really soggy. I know coleslaw isn't supposed to be dry. I don't know if it was frozen then thawed, but it was unusually wet to be coleslaw. There is a lot to choose from ranging from traditional BBQ, small or large sandwiches, or even loaded potatoes. I feel like pricing is reasonable, but it mainly depends on how MUCH you want. I'm going to peg it between $7-20 individually, with a full dinner being towards the $20 end of the scale. Memphis has a lot of BBQ places to choose from, and it's always good to try others and support local.

Theres not too many options at the Memphis Airport , so I opted for Nellys. But if you can, eat before you come or get something from the market next door. I ordered a regular hot dog, and a side of fries. The regular hot dog tasted like it was cooked, recooked, and recooked again. It had a leathery texture and was not moist at all. The bread was super dry and flakey. When I picked up my hot dog and bun the bun instantly broke in half and crumbled at the end. The fries were okay, if you like undercooked soggy fries. They are a medium thickness. I like a good mixture of soft and some crunchy fries and I did not receive that.

Expectations are always muted when airport restaurants are visited. Likewise we all understand staffing and service woes in C19 times. The challenge for me was a hotdog bun. Yes. So past prime it literally crumbled to tiny bits just trying to pick it up. I can and do respect that employees need some breadth because they are working in understaffed conditions. I do expect the bare minimum of something better than beyond past due date.

When in Memphis...you have to have BBQ, right? We had an hour to kill before boarding our flight back home to O-Town so we decided to hit up Jim Neely's for some lunch.We seated ourselves at a high top and our waitress came over to take our drink orders. Now, I don't come expecting a 5-star experience in an airport BBQ joint, but a LITTLE pep in your step would be desired...our waitress gave us the bare minimum as far as information about the menu and what our options for sides were... I don't know, maybe I was desiring too much? Anyways, we settled for the following:1st son: Didn't see anything appetizing...so he ordered fries.2nd son: Foot long hot dogHusband: Pulled Pork sandwichMe: Smoked turkey salad.Fries were "meh"...nothing out of the ordinary. Hot dog: okay- this was probably the best item we ordered. Grilled perfectly, large....and tasty. It was a good dog.Pulled Pork Sandwich- my husband LOVES pulled pork sandwiches, but this was a no for him unfortunately. The pork lacked flavor. I had a bite and I actually felt that it was too soft for my liking. To me, it had a really mushy texture. I like pulled pork to have a LITTLE bite/chew to it.Smoked turkey salad- Turkey was chopped and tender. Lettuce was fresh and crunchy. It came with a large cup of BBQ sauce on the side as the "dressing". You did also have an option to select Ranch, French or Italian dressings as well. It was a little turn off (for me) that it had bacon bits. I feel like the salad needed a bit more to make this a good salad, maybe some cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions etc. The plus side is that it is a very generous helping. I barely got through half of it.I don't really recommend any of the items we ordered with the exception of maybe the footlong dog. The table next to us ordered some wings would actually looked decent!

Food options at MEM are simply atrocious, and sadly, I travel through there all the time. Since I like to have a glass of wine with my meal, there's literally only one option in Terminal C (Home Team Sports; 1-star Yelp venue). On my way home Friday, I. Simply. Could. Not. Go. There. Again!Since some of the locals I talked to in Arkansas suggested it, I thought I'd try Neely's at the airport. I should say strike three, but it's probably more like, strike twelve, Memphis International Airport.Wait staff are in no rush to do anything and seem indifferent about your presence. I wanted to try the wings and ribs, but there was no combo that would allow. So I ordered a small wings and 1/2 slab of ribs plate. Wings were decent although they had a salt heavy dry rub on 'em. The ribs were...not good. Fall off the bone, yes, but not in a good way. So overcooked the meat felt like a mealy apple in my mouth.While I feel like I ordered too much food (see picture), my bill only came to $24. I was full, although my palette was definitely not satisfied. Thankfully there is a new grab-in-go bar at the end of the terminal where I could wash away the flavor with some wine.

I want to go to the main location, but every time I am in Memphis at the airport this is a must. I always get the combination platter with Ribs and chopped pork. Service is spot on and if I didn't see planes I'd think I wasn't in an airport. This is not your typical airport food!! Mouth watering tangy bbq sauce! You can actually get frozen stuff to fly back with. (Next time) I may have ate so much that I had to loosen up the belt for the flight home.

Ok where to start, the coleslaw was rancid, the turkey was dry and spoiled. The beans were ok but I'm concerned that I will pay for taking a few bites of them later and my beer was skunky. Save your money and do something else. I know business is slow right now but you can't serve spoiled food. Update, yes I'm sick as a dog 4th trip to the restroom. so I paid them to make me sick.

Flawless Brisket and excellent BBQ Sauce - I don't smother it like most people do, I add the sauce as I eat it. The meat was lean and the price was excellent!I love the Cashier too! She is very nice - I see her whenever I come through the airport. I am not a big fan of red meat, but when I eat it, it has to be very good and lean! THIS IS BOTH!

Having this Gem inside the Airport is Sweeetttt! During my recent, frequent travels to Memphis, I have this spot to fill me up for the journey. Atmosphere: small Airport area near C7 of American Airlines. Every time I come, line is long but moves quickly. Then you hear those friendly southern voices. Of course seating is limited but that's to be expected in an airport. Food: I always order the Large Chop Pork Combo. This sandwich is so big that I almost never finish it. They pile the bun with tender Chop pork & the bbq sauce has a great taste surprisingly. I certainly look forward to returning & hopefully sitting in their actual Memphis restaurant one day to expand my taste of other menu options. Sorry no pictures. I ate it too fast to catch my flight on time ‍

Irredeemably horrible, my brother found a chopped up toothpick in his spaghetti, my beef ribs tasted majorly off and horrible (maybe freezerburn), my beans had inedible pieces of cartilage mixed in