- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Memphis Blues Barbeque House
Category: Restaurants Barbeque Barbeque [Edit]
1342 Commercial DrVancouver, BC V5L 3X6
Neighbourhoods: Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
(604) 215-2599
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Memphis Blues Barbeque House
Review Highlights
"The best meat was the Pulled Pork."
(in 17 reviews)
"The Elvis platter is fantastic."
(in 7 reviews)
"The BBQ sauce is smoky, sweet and a little spicy."
(in 12 reviews)
Loading...
42 reviews in English
-
Review from Purdy J.
Updated - 11/12/2011
Yay for yummy BBQ food. We were nesting at home and just wanted a solid BBQ meal perfect take out... No delivery but by the time you call to place your order and head over, the meal is ready for you.
Ordered the Memphis Platter that has a little bit of everything... Pulled pork, Beef Brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage, coleslaw, fries and cornbread. Great for 4 people and still have a little leftover. delicious! Just heated up some veggies at home and I had the perfect meal!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/11/2011
The perfect place if you love meat and a lot of it smothered in BBQ sauce. Large servings and good… Read more »
-
-
Review from Aaron S.
11/24/2011
I'm a big fan of Memphis Blues. I really am. The review for this location is not for the food which was delicious as always. It's for the drinks I ordered and the crappy attitude of the employee who made it. I'm a big fan of bourbon sours and Im a big fan of the Memphis Blues cook book which has drink recipes in it. One of them is of course the classic bourbon sour and in the book they refer to this particular location as "cocktail central". So you can imagine my anticipation when I heard we were going here for a joint birthday celebration. I went up to order my special lady friend and I a couple of sours. This of course being cocktail central I stood and watched as the magic was about to begin. She brought out two glasses that I assumed were being used with a boston shaker. She filled them with ice. Oooooh the excitement builds. She pours a shot of Jim Beam into each glass. Not much booze but hey whatever, this is going to be sweet. I'm waiting for the egg and syrup and juice and wait whats she doing? Shes putting the glasses in front of me. She's probably going to double check that I wanted egg white in it. Nope she's handing them to me. What the hell? What happened next was shocking. She pointed at the fridge behind me and said "fill it with lemonade yourself"
I stood there in complete amazement. I kind of muttered......uhhhhh....what are these? I said I asked for a bourbon sour....do you not make them? And then the indifference became apparent. She just shrugged and said "sorry thats how we make them"
SORRY? Wow. That was the biggest rip off I've been subjected to in years. No concern or anything just a kind of "whatever dude" shrug that meant I was supposed to just sit and take it. I understand that there are different ways to make a drink but you can not throw a shot of cheap Jim Beam into a glass and add lemonade and charge that outrageous of a price. Mark up of the century.
Cocktail Central my ass....................... -
Review from Dave M.
Vancouver, BC
11/16/2011
I went to Memphis Blues quite a few times before discovering Peckinpah, but now I don't think I'll go back to the former.
I felt terrible about how I inconvenienced the people working there at lunch today with all my showing up and being keen to eat. The food arrived in good time, but it was a $15 fast food lunch except I think I got beter service when I went to McDonald's last. -
Review from Jenny H.
Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, BC
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Memphis Blues, is good for a quick take out when your in a hurry. I have never waited for longer than 10 minutes to get my food. It is what it is BBQ food mostly pork and chicken items.
The food itself is not the best bbq around, but its close to where I live so I find myself indulging at memphis every once in a while. The portions here are HUGE, you wont leave hungry thats for sure.
They have delivered to me in strathcona in the past, but I am not certain if they still do. -
Review from Sarah D.
10/13/2011
Whenever I think of BBQs, I think of this excerpt from the Simpsons:
[Invitation] "Come to Homer's BBBQ. The extra 'B' is for BYOBB."
"What's *that* extra 'B' for?"
"That's a typo."
Pop culture aside, Memphis Blues serves up some pretty damn fine BBBQ (sorry, I couldn't help myself there). Beef brisket, ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, oyster po' boy: all good. You know what else is good? Their BBQ beans -they are drool worthy, my friends. Trust me.
Overall, Memphis Blues is a great place to come with a few friends when you're in the mood for something ridiculously gluttonous. Just don't bring your vegetarian/vegan friends here. That would be a bad idea, unless you're purposely trying to make them feel alienated, of course. You bastard.
I'll end this review with two magic words for those who are feeling extra lazy. You ready for this?
They deliver.Listed in: Commercial Drive Hot Spots
-
Review from Jenfi L.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2012
I give this place a 2.5/5, meaning average. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and it was at best, mediocre. The sauce was okay, and the pork was not soft nor tough. Will probably not be coming back.
-
Review from Dru C.
6/23/2011
SO MUCH FOOD!! OMG. Me and my friends ordered the Elvis Platter and it was SO MUCH! We had an amazing day though at the place. It really made me full for the rest of the day. Meat lovers, you have to come here FOR SURE!!
I can say that the Elvis Platter can feed up to 6 people FULL... It was that scary and it was delicious. The sauce was very up to my taste, maybe because I had a strong sweet tooth that day, but I just used it all. I realized later there was a stronger BBQ sauce on our tables that had a nice spicy edge to the BBQ sauce. That was even better!! I enjoyed that sauce ever more!!
The best meat was the Pulled Pork. The fries was different in a good way too! I enjoyed the fries the most because they didn't need ketchup, for once. They used a special spice on them which was sweet and salty which really made me love them! I would go back just to try their poutine if fries themselves made drool over them.
The meat was properly cooked which made me happy. It really was made the Southern BBQ style. I will for sure go back for an epic night with friends and have tons of beer (only if I am not driving). -
Review from Kas D.
Vancouver, BC
9/18/2011
Holla at me corn bread! Oh my yum.
A great little joint for some authentic down-south cooking. Pulled pork, BBQ chicken, beef brisket, and perhaps a side of heart attack? Certainly not a spot for the calorie concerned. But damn, it's tasty. -
Review from Louisa P.
Burnaby, BC
11/24/2011
Well, I had heard so much about it, and had always wanted to go. Me and a buddy decided to go for the Memphis Feast (aka meat coma platter!). It was great. A little bit of everything plus lots to take home (suppose to feed 4. :P) The sausage was very good, as was the brisket. The chicken was dry. The corn bread was good and I'm not even a fan of corn bread. The service was prompt and nice.
-
Review from L K.
Burnaby, BC
8/4/2011
THE best place to take a group of guys to eat. The platters are IMMENSE, and you def go home with leftovers. And they're cheap too!
May not be the best choice for picky eaters or vegetarians. But really, why would they even try to go to the BBQ place? -
Review from Justin L.
8/15/2011
Something about Memphis Blues seems to clash with the vibe on the Drive. I dunno what it is... blatant tribute to American-style carnivorous gluttony?
This location of the BBQ joint features a nice sidewalk patio and more open space than the original Broadway location. Food tastes about the same as far as I'm concerned.
Sometimes it's good to know there's a place like this in the neighborhood if you're not feeling too eclectic or multi-cultural. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
3/14/2011 1 photo
Memphis Blues makes me a sad panda. I'm a brisket slut and Memphis has the most tender smoked brisket in Vancouver. The only fair criticism is that their BBQ sauce is too sweet and molasses-y for my liking. Sure, it's solid BBQ, especially for the price. ~$40 will get you the Memphis Feast which will give you all the meat (ribs, brisket, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, rib ends, smoked sausage) and all the sides (corn bread, coleslaw, potato salad, fries & beans) as a sampler -- enough for 4 'normal' people.
Perfect if you're indecisive or you follow my maxim: 'The deliciousness of a meal is positively correlated with the number of animals that had to die for it'. Stay tuned for more of Johnson's laws of gluttony. I'm like Newton... if the apple fell from the mouth of a roasted pig.
So why sad? In a city like Vancouver, that's renown for selection and quality of food, Memphis Blues is pretty much the zenith in Vancouver BBQ. Maybe I watch too much Food Network and tales and images of southern BBQ prepared by idiot savant hermits that have mastered the BBQ dark arts shouldn't get me sexually excited -- but really, Vancouver: a BBQ chain started by a couple of entrepreneurs is the peak?
In addition, Memphis Blues came into being during my crew's teenage years. The original Broadway location was the site of many of teenage food challenges where bravado and hunger overruled common sense. Have you ever had the urge to watch someone eat 1/2 a Elvis Platter (like the Memphis Feast but with more meat) and downing an additional 1/2 lb of pulled pork, watching them vomit and then incessantly laugh and jeer at them? If you answered 'No'; congratulations, it proves you have a modicum of sanity. Especially with BBQ pork, we were what we ate. If YouTube was around when my friends and I were in high school and undergrads, we would have been the original "Epic Meal Time" crew [http://www.youtube.com...] mixed in with "Jackass".
However, I am literally "getting too old for this shit". Every visit to Memphis is a sad reminder of my mortality and my increasingly easy-to-sate appetite. I recently tackled the Memphis Feast with a partner and I was overwhelmed with these alien feelings. "What is this strange feeling my stomach? I'm 'full'? But there's still more food! Is this what mortals feel? DOES. NOT. COMPUTE." Most people look at their younger years and long for their lost youthful appearance, physical fitness or sexual escapades. My friends and I reminisce over "eating the whole thing." [See my Anton's review for even more lurid tales of triumphant gluttony and tragic coming-of-age: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...]
Despite making me feel like an past-his-prime punch-drunk boxer entering into the ring and my lofty BBQ ideals -- yes, Memphis Blues is probably the best BBQ in Vancouver. The brisket and pulled pork is delicious and at great value and portions.
I ate my Memphis Feast leftovers the next day in a quiet shame. After eating it, I had to look at the man in the mirror -- fighting back the tears, I asked, "What happened to you, man? You used to be COOL!".Listed in: East Van Eateries
-
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
If your parents are like mine, they love White Spot. It drives me nuts. I've got no beef with the Spot, it's just that my parents could go there any old time when they're home in Kamloops. The fact that I have *so* many places I've been dying to take them to but they refuse is sooo frustrating.
So my parents aren't the most... open minded when it comes to cuisine. I snuck one by 'em the other week and ordered takeout from Memphis Blues. I've been wanting to take them to Memphis for years, but whenever they come down to visit, they insist on--you guessed it, White Spot. Well, they were tired and relaxing in my living room so I phoned MB with my order of one Elvis platter. "How long will it take?" I asked. "Does 5 minutes sound ok?" the man on the phone replied. He was definitely speaking my language. I zipped down to The Drive and fetched the food, delicious meaty smells wafting through my car. In hunger-crazed panic, I reached into the bag and gorged on some DELICIOUS cornbread, with whole kernels of corn in there to sweeten it all up.
I am pleased to say that my non-expressive (and adorable) father was loving the food. He verbalized it. That rarely happens when it comes to food... meat and potatoes are all he eats, and since meat and potatoes are boring, he rarely has reason to praise them. Well this time he did. Bravo, Memphis Blues!
Their BBQ sauce isn't my favourite--it's far too molassasey for my liking, but if you love molasses, you will surely love theirs.
Good meaty, tasty, BIG meal, fit for 6 people or more!Listed in: Places you can wear sweatpants…, Family Stylin' it!, The Drive, MEAT!
-
Review from Cody S.
2/20/2011
I am a big fan of good barbecue. This is pretty good. Vancouver needs to embrace this place because this is part of the diversity that makes this city so great.
I have been to dozens of BBQ's below the 49th parallel and this is a good place. I love that they are trying their best to be completely authentic. That is a good quality to a restaurant.
The meat is pretty good. What's important is that they actually smoke their meats in a wood smoker. There are a few places in Vancouver that claim to have bbq but either boil the meat prior to putting bbq sauce on it and claim that it is smoked. This is not one of those places. The Elvis platter is fantastic.......beware because there is alot of meat on that plate!
If you are a carnivore and are looking around Vancouver for a great place to enjoy, this is it. -
Review from fred e.
West Vancouver, BC
6/15/2011
Went in for lunch today at the Commercial Drive location.
Ordered the Beef Brisket meal and request a lean cut. They were very accommodating and delivered a very lean and tender brisket. The fries that come along with the brisket were divine as well.
Highly recommend this place anytime you're in the mood for a high protein meal. Oh and perhaps a little fat. -
Review from Michael A.
North Vancouver, BC
4/13/2011
I have eaten here twice, both times because i was taken by people who swear by it. Both times i was amazed at how mediocre it was. Mostly, i was amazed that there was a place in the world where this flavour of food was popular and highly regarded. I was going to write a review about this, amid all the rave reviews you see here, but i realized that i was going to be in Georgia for a week and thought i would wait until i got back to judge a food i knew little about.
Turns out, i was right. BBQ is supposed to be rich in flavour and smokey as stink, not sweet and, well, non rich. . Sweet hickory catsup is a far cry from what i tasted in "the south" and as soon as i tasted real BBQ i quickly realized why it was a style of food sought out by those who have the bodies to eat it every day.
In Georgia, the sugar is the the Coke (which flows like water there) not in the sauce. -
Review from JY F.
Richmond, BC
2/1/2011
Bar-B-Que! Need I say more? If you're a true carnivore, as I am, then this is where meat lovers die and go to heaven...
It was a warm & sunny evening when 11 ravenous carnivores commandeered the patio picnic tables of the small cafeteria style Memphis Blues on Commercial. They left fully satisfied, complete w/distended bellies and heartburn dreams waiting to happen.
A few of us decided to share platters and ended up ordering the Elvis Platter and the Memphis Platter (which is just a smaller version of the Elvis). The platters came out with all the sides and southern bar-b-que heaven. I had never seen so much glorious meat on a single plate! My personal favorite was the pulled pork and beef brisket. There was just enough sauce, spices and grease that brought out the wonderful smoky meat flavor! And the meats were not the only stars of the night...the cornbread, beans and salads were also a hit. Not to mention the cheap wine and beer to help wash down all that cholesterol.
Needless to say Memphis is not a place for the frou frou crowd of Vancouver but if you're a die hard carnivore and don't mind getting a bit messy then Memphis place is for you...
. -
Review from Erin U.
11/12/2011
Memphis Blues, ahhhh i even love the name. If you love meat, BBQed meat and all that goes with it you will love this place! I took my Albertan father as he is a huge meat eater and he fell in love with the place, we had way too much food so Dad had lunch and dinner the next day with all the leftovers. Awesome, warm atmosphere,cozy and good tunes. Ive only been once and only to the one on the drive but they made us feel very welcome, the staff was awesome and accompanying and the waitress even laughed and joked with my Dad and his silly attempts to hit on her. Cute, nice and not a bitch, awesome! I don even eat very much meat but I def did that night,couldnt really resist after the first bite I think I started turning into a carnivorous half human half wolf or dinosaur or something. I will always hold a special place in my heart for Memphis blues as I came out to my Dad that night and it didn't even phase him as he was far to occupied enjoying his massive plate of meat. I also couldnt really see the reaction on his face thru all the bbq sauce. So thanks Memphis for assisting me that ngiht and filling my stomach beyond belief. Next time a full moon comes and my wolf comes out and I have a relentless urge to eat every animal out there BBQ style, I will come howling and running to your comfy little restaurant as fast as I can.
Listed in: Good for Groups
-
Review from Derek W.
10/27/2010 2 photos
In BBQ-starved Vancouver, Memphis Blues is a welcome shot of southern slow-cooked goodness.
The daily sandwich specials are ok, and the BBQ meals aren't bad (though they seem a little pricey for the quantity, and no waiter service), but I only really go these days for the platters - grab three or more friends and chow down on a gigantic plate of BBQ. Most of the platters come with beans, a modest helping of cornbread, slaw, extra BBQ sauce, sausage, chicken, rib tips, ribs, pulled pork, and, the star of them all, beef brisket. The brisket is out of this world, and everything else is solid BBQ fare. They keep their local micro-brew taps current, and the music is as soulful as a BBQ joint should be.
A helpful tip - I've heard that if you go later in the evening on a slow night, they load the platters with more meat. Everything is prepared hours before hand, of course, so they have to do something with it at the end of the night, right? -
Review from Luisa D.
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a small pulled pork sandwich with a pint of Scottish ale. The food here's ok and the staff are super friendly. It's not too often that I could eat that much food slathered in BBQ sauce. This would probably be a once a year thing for me.
-
Review from Sara-Peri K.
Vancouver, BC
4/4/2011
MMMMMM BARBEQUE! I love this place it has great food.
Although the ribs were not my favorite in the city just because I like more sauce I fell in love with the pork suasagey thing sweet jesus that thing was gooood and the beans that come with the main dish whoo those are amazing, the fries were also top notch!
My boyfriend had these deep fried breaded oysters and I'm pretty sure that was the best thing I have ever had, it was just so original and CRAZY good, just WOW. It melted in your mouth and was meaty and not too salty but still tasted like authentic seafood! Next time I will for sure get that :)
You walk up and get your food and I really hate reading the reviews saying the service is bad, they're cooks and servers they're not supposed to ask you about your day and hold your hand, they smile take your order and bring you delicious food, if you're needy and expect more than that then its not the service that is bad, you are just bizarre. -
Review from Karen R.
10 of us hunkered down and ordered the Priscilla Platter (see photos!) the other night. It included everything on the menu - ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage, rib ends, pulled pork, shrimp, fried oysters, fried catfish, cornbread, beans, slaw, potato salad, fries...
Everything was delicious - we all agreed that the brisket was the highlight and the rest of the meats were perfectly cooked. The BBQ sauce is smoky, sweet and a little spicy. The salads were fresh and tasty and not overdressed. The seafood platter came out after everything else so it was piping hot - the catfish was crispy and the oysters were hot hot hot. The platter is priced at $135 but for 10 -12 people it's a great variety of food and a lot of value.
Get there early to grab a table - the waitress was super accommodating as our group got larger. She checked in with us without interrupting. -
Review from Raymond S.
Burnaby, BC
9/3/2010
Southern Style Cooking - Something of a rarity to a Vancouverite like myself. This isn't the first time I've tried Memphis Blues - I've had their food catered at a few events I've been at so I was expecting quite a bit.
In terms of the experience I expected a lot more. Seems like they save alot on their overhead by forcing customers to order and pay upfront at the counter. When picturing an authentic Southern Style Blues Barbecue I pictured a more classy setup.
I went with my girlfriend and the rest of my fam for our first time so we tried the platter called the Elvis. The food came and went surprisingly fast. The Ribs and Flank were the two best parts of the platter.
The rest of the dish was trumped a week earlier by my friend Connor who makes a mean Southern Style dish. For the only restaurant of its type in Vancouver it definitely draws a crowd and can can satisfy anyone who has an appetite for Southern BBQ.
If you're looking for something more authentic head down south. -
Review from Kat S.
4/12/2010
This might seem like an odd place to go for a girl that doesn't eat much meat. But I love the Catfish on Greens! And catfish is a sustainable fish option! I can get on board with that! Especially with the crunchy cornmeal coating all over it. And the sauce that comes with is so awesome. I don't even know what it is, but I like it.
This location has friendly staff and a good vibe. And they have beer! And beer specials for game nights!
Not being a fan of cole-slaw, I usually won't touch it. But theirs here is actually quite good. Give it a try. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2009
This is a place where you have to be ready to take on meat. Vegetarians stay away!
It's quite funny to me that this meat haunt is on commercial drive, home of quite a few vegetarians. Say what they will - meat is to be had!
I had the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw (that's salad in their world) and baked beans (this would be the potatoe or rice part). Tasty although I could have used more of the sauce my friend had on her chicken sandwich.
Be warned!!! You will not be having a fork and knife eating experience here. PIck it up and let the juices flow. They have brown paper towels on a tabletop roll for your eating mishaps - which there will be!!!
I was full on a small order. I can not imagine what a large order would be like. I think I would probably keel over.
If you are going with a bunch of folks. I highly recommend their meat platter. It made me drool watching that plate go by. Passers by definitely did a double take at the mountain of meat the table of 3 was attacking. -
Review from Jacqueline S.
Edmonton, AB
4/21/2011
Meat. We shared the Memphis Feast platter, which gives you every kind of meat. They ranged from pretty good to delicious. I would have liked more cornbread, but only because I love cornbread, and fewer fries. Otherwise, pretty tasty. I would go again if I lived in Vancouver.
-
Review from BB H.
Burnaby, BC
12/8/2009
Good but it's meat-a-rama. You'll leave full but need more veggies on the menu (and I'm no vegetarian but their salads are all meat on greens).
Take four to six people and get the Memphis feast which gives you a little of each kind of meat from pulled pork to ribs. -
Review from Nano H.
Vancouver, BC
4/9/2009
Memphis Blues BBQ House @ Commercial Drive is a very rare place indeed. Whenever I get a BBQ fix, I hop on the skytrain from downtown to Commercial and walk over to the restaurant.
Ordering huge platters of meat, chicken and fixings is incredibly filling, satisfying and wallet-lightening. I have found it's easier to go with a few friends and order the larger platter(s) and have left overs.
I need to discuss something very important though. Meat sweats. It's horribly disgusting and I hope you don't get them, but since the food here is great, it's always a risk. Ladies, meat sweats aren't sexy!
The Elvis platter is a good value. Make sure to get the to-go boxes for after so you can take the extras home for leftovers during the week. I'd recommend going full country and getting some whiskey and a pitcher of beer to go with your pitcher. Since your diet is already tossed out the window, you might as well go all out!
A quick note, this isn't a restaurant restaurant. You need to order and pay up front at the counter and then they will either call out your order when it's ready or someone will drop it off at your table. Same with your drinks. There's not a lot of seating, so you may need to wait. The picnic benches out front are great for sitting and people watching while you eat, especially since it's commercial.
They also do take-out if you're planning a picnic or dinner party! -
Review from Food Ninja D.
Vancouver, BC
Worst MB out there, shit service, FOUR PIECES OF HAIR IN MY FOOD, and half the dish was COLD
-
Review from Debby D.
Burnaby, BC
7/25/2009 3 photos
I had the Catfish on Greens and it was HEAVENLY!
Anyhoo, this place was a bit different. You sit at the table to look at menu selections and, once you decide, you go to the counter and place your order. You also pay after ordering too. The service is VERY friendly; one woman there said 'Hi there' the moment we stepped in.
My sis had ribs and our guest had rib ends platter, complete with slaw, beans, corn bread and their choice of side dish (baked potato or fries). It's all good! You can also get roasted chicken, oysters or pulled pork platters.
You will leave full so come hungry! -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
9/19/2008
I love Memphis Blues food, especially the Elvis platter, but the service can be downright surly. They make you go up to the counter to order, which is fine, but hey, sometimes a girl needs a minute to make up her mind. There's no need to be all glaring at me and short when I ask... gasp... a question. Yeah, it was my fault for coming in with another girl, who I didn't know well, and needing to agree on the contents of a smaller platter to share. Jees.
Perhaps this is just the price I pay when I want some tender loving cooked meat... will it be the brisket? The sausage? The pulled pork? In any case, the advantage of the hands-off service is that if the restaurant isn't busy, they'll let you linger as long as you like. However, the tough guys will also move lingerers along when there's a lineup. Either way, it's damned good meat. -
Review from Riel R.
Vancouver, BC
5/24/2009
They Beat Their Meat ... nuf said.
It's got GREAT BBQ, crappy attitude.
Love the food, hate the service, but damn... you gotta love those ribs. -
Review from Tim L.
8/17/2008
Meat meat and more meat. Lots of BBQ meat that will keep you full for the following 24 hours after ingesting it.
The food certainly isn't amazing, but it is good enough for you to crave from time to time.
Be prepared for meat sweats after finishing the large portions. -
Review from Joe L.
Vancouver, BC
12/6/2009
Although we did not sit down and order a meal, I felt compelled to write a review of our experience of the service offered by the hostess / waitress.
The restaurant was full when 4 of us stepped inside. We looked around to see if any dining party might be finishing soon so we could assess whether we should stay or pick another restaurant. The waitress came over and said there was outdoor patio seating available. It was 7pm in December. It was 2c outside and the patio had no lights or patio heating. We waited for a "hahaha" from the waitress but then we realized she was serious.
We quickly turned around and left. We didn't want to be served by an incompetent waitress with no common sense. -
Review from Freddy F.
Vancouver, BC
12/27/2008
I really wanted to love Memphis Blues, especially because I am a huge fan of BBQ. Unfortunately they failed to impress on either of my visits. My first experience was highlighted by abhorrent service and ok food. The second time I went was a beautiful sunny day in early September and my girlfriend and I picked up a to-go order for a picnic lunch. It was one of the worst meals I have ever had. The brisket was 1/3 fat and completely inedible, the pulled pork was dry and no BBQ sauce was provided.
I would not recommend this restaurant! If you want good BBQ in Vancouver check out Dix on Beatty St. or go to a burger shack. -
Review from Sharlene V.
Vancouver, BC
8/8/2011
I was excited to try out this place after reading all the good reviews, but was disappointed. The ribs were a tad dry, not exactly falling off the bone. Montana's ribs are 10x better. I love meat and BBQ sauce, but this was too much for me. There wasn't much to offset the flavors of the BBQ -- 2 tablespoons of coleslaw didn't cut it. There was too much yin and not enough yang. I left the place feeling like BBQ sauce was coming out of my pores and it didn't sit very well in my stomach.
-
Review from Gina I.
8/19/2009
We usually order the sharing platter & share with my bf's 8 year old, so enough for 3. I always come out completely stuffed even though I barely touched anything. The beans & the slaw are pretty good, but I love the brisket. Good stuff.
-
Review from Andrea S.
Vancouver, BC
10/20/2009
I love this place, my favorites being the pulled pork sandwich and the BBQ pork poutine. I'm not even that big a fan of pork!
Their platters are great for sharing with friends and all the little extras on the side (beans, cornbread, etc) mean there's always something for everyone. (Except vegetarians/vegans I guess!)
The service isn't friendly but you get what you order and the only thing that slows things down is usually the people in front of you paying their check in pennies or uhming and erring over the menu board.
Only bad thing is the small amount of seating on a busy night, and the fact that you have to wait in line at the till to order. -
Review from Jon G.
8/21/2008
"You'd think they've got it pretty easy being one of the only BBQ places in Vancouver but they have really good BBQ. They obviously take it pretty seriously and it shows with the great quality. It's a little expensive but worth it if you're a BBQ fan (if you think BBQ is something you made on your gas grill, don't bother). Great food, real iced tea and some good beers on tap. I had been searching for BBQ for the longest time after coming up from Texas and I couldn't believe it when I finally found this place (I really did smell it from a block away and actually did follow my nose). Good for take out too when you want to have a down home BBQ dinner at home, just make sure you don't put the bag on your lap unless you're wearing grease proof pants (sorry Ricardo).."
-
Review from G T.
8/13/2010
I'm in from California and was skeptical that Vancouver could produce barbeque of the caliber that I am accustomed to. Memphis Blues made me eat my words...and a whole load of meat.
The pulled pork is awesome and so is the smoke sausage. The bbq sauce has just enough sweet to tangy. My only complaint is that the portions they give of the sides is less than desirable. I need a big a$$ piece of cornbread and some greens! Bbq is not the same without big portions of everything.
Overall, I will definitely come back on my next trip.
