Payne's Bar-B-Que Review

A pulled-pork sandwich doesn t get any better than this one right here.

Best overall sandwich in the city. Slaw and sauce are superb.

Went to lunch and ate a really good small chopped shoulder sandwich. Staff is always pleasant and professional.

This is not the best shoulder sandwich in Memphis! It is the best on the planet!! The reviews about the Decor are hilarious, if you want decorum don't eat BBQ in Memphis, TN!!!

Great meat in a large portion. It was actually pretty cheap. I would highly suggest eating here if you are looking for some good BBQ.

Best barbecue by far. Destroys all other memphis restaurants by a long shot. Try everything.

Mustard coleslaw is a nice surprise, never had anything like it before.

This is the real thing! Best Bar-B-Q pork sandwich in Memphis. I always bring my clients here for a taste of what Memphis is famous for.

Absolutely amazing BBQ pork sandwich. Baked beans are a force to be reckoned with too. Love the feel of the dining area.

Delicious chopped pork sandwich. Lived the taste and crunch of the charred bits of pork. Beans were equally delicious as they were topped with a bit of pulled pork and BBQ sauce

Without a doubt the worst BBQ ribs ever. We were driving through town and wanted to pick up BBQ sandwiches for lunch and have left overs for dinner. I was so surprised when we opened up the rib box. I had ordered a slab of ribs and they were chopped up. (ok) burnt, chewy, dried out!! Never, have we had such a mess, we tried to eat through the unburnt pieces and ended up throwing them out. If you cook BBQ for a living, you know when you are about to serve up some bad food! Maybe the fact that I said we were just driving through and I ordered to go tempted someone to go ahead and give me a $24 rack of burnt ribs. Shame on them!

Just average barbeque for Memphis. I probably won't be going back.

Didn't really like the running Cole slaw or the bologna sandwich for bologna that thick to be on a loaf of bread is ridiculous. Please invest in some big hamburger buns for the bologna

Do not waste your time going to this place they only know how to cook three things and it's all nasty

Very simple, not flashy or sheik, but very good bbq!

It's not a fancy place, very basic (it seems all the best places are just basic) - but the pulled pork sandwich was excellent. The medium was perfectly spicy for me. Glad it was recommended!

Yooooo, down home flavor right here... Just get in the car and do it!!

We were recommended by the tour guide at Sun...Now we compare all of our BBQ stops in the U.S.A. to Payne's everything is second!

They have the best barbecue sauce and mustard slaw that I have ever tasted bar none and the barbecue is always tender and tasty

I came hungry.... I left FULL!! The food was AWESOME & the service was friendly and welcoming!! I can't wait to go back!!

Like eating in your garage, but the food is pretty good.

Finally a place in Memphis that serves bbq juicy instead of typical dry rub that the area is famous for. Just a simple dine in shack/kitchen. Food is prepared quickly prior to order. The chopped pork sandwich and rib plate is a must. Definitely a top ten must try in the Memphis area

Take a wet wipe the ribs and the sauce is wonderful.

Great portions and food was great. Prices were reasonable.

Still the best. BBQ Smoked Sausage n Grilled Bologna sandwiches in M-Town!

Payne''s Bar-B-Q was wonderful! The meat, slaw, and beans compliment each other the flavors were great. Good food good people. Ever in Memphis check it out! Being from St.Louis my husband and I agree Payne's are worth the trip.

Payne's BBQ is the definition of a "hole in the wall" place. The BBQ is amazing, but I wasn't a fan of their slaw. Others in my group loved it though. Very unique restaurant! The area is a little sketchy after-hours, but no issues during the day. Plenty of parking in the lot.

Don't be fooled by the building this place is magic.

They are in the top 5 bbq spot!!!!!! I promise you.

Excellent ribs, by far the best I've had with my friends

Simply the best!! I didn t even eat chopped/pulled pork. But I will travel to eat their food

We have driven twice from Wisconsin to go to Payne's. Excellent. Did I mention the food is excellent?

I have been going 2 Payne's since I was 16 in high school over 39 years. For the guy that talked about the bologna sandwich on bread, u can request a bun!!!! Everyone may not want a bun!!! I have my bologna put on buns ALL the time. My entire family LOVES Payne's bbq!!!! Keep up the great work!!!

Not much to look at from inside or out, and not much of a selections on the menu, but some of the best meat in Memphis.

The BBQ sandwiches are the bomb,5 stars all the way. The ribs.....well, they do have ribs on the menu.....however these are not professionally cooked ribs at all. The membrane is not even removed from the ribs before cooking, therefore every bite is tough, chewy, and to be quite frank, the ribs leave allot to be desired. When I want ribs in Memphis, I'll go to Cozy Corner. When I want Pork sandwich with cole slaw I will be coming here, to Payne's BBQ.
Cash only outfit so don't show up here with your company card or you will leave hungry.

I have always loved Paynes BBQ from years ago and the BBQ has only gotten better over the years.

This place is delicious, brought my family here and boy, 4 BBQ plates 4 drinks $40 even and we left overstuffed. Ignore the outside of the building, bc if you want delicious BBQ this is the spot!!!

Without a doubt the BEST BBQ in Memphis! The chopped pork sandwich will make you smile long after eating it with the memory of the experience..
This is what BBQ Is all about! I look forward to my next visit to the Mid South eatery.

Their Sauce Is Thin & Watery. The Hot Sauce Is NOT Hot, It Tastes Like Sweet & Sour Sauce With Vinegar & The Ribs Aren't Trimmed Well.

This place is pure magic. No frills - no problem. Amazing chopped pork sandwich with unique slaw . Don t overlook the beans. They are fantastic. Super nice folks. Get a handmade pocket pie if they have them. Omg I miss this place.

Had a "Jumbo Chopped BBQ sandwich and a smoked sausage. WHOOO HOOOII!!! Washed it down with a grape Fanta! Plus a slice of peach pie, all for $12.55. I'm a big man, and I'm stuffed! Great BBQ and nice people.

A legacy restaurant that retains that old school flavor not only in food but ambiance. Down and durty!

YUMMY HEAVEN. Mustard based slaw was FABULOUS, especially on my pulled pork (ahhhh, the sauce was excellent too) sandwich. Baked beans that surpassed my Momma s! Quick, friendly service. I felt very welcomed! If you are coming into Memphis (we are passing through), it will be completely worth your while to detour for a bite of yummy heaven!

Smoky, vinegary, affordable, no-frills. Try the bologna.

A little hole in the wall it s easy to miss it as you are driving by but turn around because this is the best BBQ in Memphis. It s not fancy but it is super tasty. Good for all ages. Friendly staff and clean.

Best barbecue I've had in a long time. Definitely lives up to the reputation. Can't wait to go back to Memphis again for more.

Smoked sausage was just like the good old days. Chopped plate had too much fat and the beans were overcooked. The bbq is so unique even for Memphis that this place should be a multi million dollar franchise. The building is so run down and you never know if they're open or nit. I wish I had the $$ I would buy the recipes and make a fortune. Hope the owners can make it work. It should be a leader in Memphis bbq.

Always a great pleasure. Took my son and his best friend for their first visit. We tried to eat it all.

Great BBQ! Sandwiches are huge and I had no problem with ordering without slaw. Staff was also very friendly. Don't judge by its cover!

Ribs, pork sandwich, smoked sausage, baked beans. Out of this world. This is the spot you ve been looking for.

If u haven't been, you don't know what you're missing. Bring cash.

Amazing restaurant!! Awesome place to go to and if you have t been definitely recommend it!

Wonderful sausage, excellent ribs, super friendly service

I thought it was over price for the portion of food I received. I ordered a large pork sandwiches and a hot link. They take cash only had to go to the store on the corner and use ATM. The pork sandwich had pieces of burnt chard which made the sandwich not favor full. I was not able finish the sandwich. The hot link okay with the yellow mustard slaw. The place was fulled full of smoke as though they were grilling inside the place. Came from Nashville,TN will. Never come back or tell anyone to go. To each it's own.

I've heard a lot of people talk about the barbecue here for years so I was excited about going. I was very disappointed the coleslaw was awful and the sauce taste like vinegar. I would not recommend

This sandwich was great. The coleslaw was a tad sweet for my preference, but the crispy little charred bits in the pork were fantastic! Really friendly staff as well.

I ve lived in Memphis for my entire life and I finally tried Payne s. The chopped sandwich was awesome and I love the mustard base Cole slaw. The staff was down to earth and made me feel right at home as a first timer. I will be back sometime.

This place is truly one-of-a-kind. It feels like you're in rural west Tennessee with the dim lighting, checked tablecloth, old flooring, alcohol free menu, and smoke pit - but you're actually in the urban city! The chopped pork sandwich is beyond special. The meat is smokey with a nice tenderness, while the slaw is like nothing you'll ever eat. The slaw adds the perfect crunch to the soft meat and bread. Their beans have an extra helping of meat inside, but that's what makes them tremendous. The service was quite nice too. 5 stars.

Spicy slaw
But the BBQ is good

First time there for me,the BBQ was good the beans was good, the slaw was different.

Outstanding barbecue sandwich. One of the best I've ever had, with a nice mix of textures, a good sauce, and zingy slaw working with the smoky chopped pork.

The smoke sausage was ok but the Cole slaw n beans were about a 4 on a 1 to 10 scale.

Best BBQ I have ever had! So happy we made this stop.