Memphis Review: Legendary Rendezvous Restaurant
World Famous Tennessee Bar-B-Que Served by Experts
Bar-B-Que enthusiasts take note! Charles Vergos' Rendezvous is the epitome of pork heaven. Established in 1948, the restaurant is located in an alley off Second Street, in a basement. Getting to the location is no easy task, and parking is even more difficult.
Rendezvous Ambience
The walk to the restaurant can be somewhat startling for the average tourist. After a short walk down a dark and wet alleyway, double doors open to a lengthy staircase. After another short hike, guests find themselves seated amongst local historical artifacts and ordering from a menu permanently positioned underneath the glass of each table. The feel is casual despite the moderate to high prices. Rendezvous is sought out by tourist as well as locals for everything from casual dining to the most formal celebrations.
The Menu: Dry Ribs and Rich Sauces
Famous for their dry rubbed ribs, a guest should expect to pay $15 for a small order and $20 for a full rack. Also excellent are their sausage and cheese appetizer platters and BBQ Nachos which work equally well as a meal for a guest with a smaller appetite. Rendezvous features BBQ chicken, pork and beef in every possible form of preparation. The BBQ is good, savory and well seasoned. The sauces are thick and rich and come in two varieties: Spicy and Original. All of the seasoning products are available for purchase for the ambitious at-home-cook.
Good Service Despite the Crowds
Wait staff at Rendezvous is professional and courteous, although on busy nights they can be hard to track down. For visitors not wanting to endure up to several hours of wait time, a week night is probably the best choice. Rendezvous has received excellent reviews in a variety of national publications and has been featured on Food Network, so there is never a shortage of people waiting to get through the door and sample the pork.
The Cons: What to Expect
No restaurant is without flaws. The dinner rolls served are somewhat lacking. Served cold and without butter they taste as though they're straight from a package. Side items are often small servings presented in a plastic solo cup and without much flare. The food is straightforward and those looking for more than meat, sauce and seasoning might find the menu fairly streamlined. However, for Southern BBQ, this is some of the best in the world. A couple dining at Rendezvous can expect to spend $40-$60. Lower priced options are available but are less substantial portions as well. Expect to pay $7.00 or more for a parking spot within a few blocks of the restaurant.
Rendezvous offers overnight delivery by FedEx of most items off their menu, allowing tourists the opportunity to indulge even when they're not visiting the city. Open Tuesday-Thursday from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm, Friday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm and Saturday 11:30 am to 11:00 pm. Located at 52 South Second Street, they can be reached at 901-523-2746.
For other suggestions check out Where to Eat in Memphis and Places to Visit in Memphis.
