Big Bill's Barbecue

I don't know if Big Bill has opened a second location on Elvis Presley, or is moving his shop down from Raleigh, but it's a welcome addition to a neighborhood that has a half dozen Chinese buffets and one barbecue restaurant where you can go for lunch (Arnold's--down the road. Marlowe's is only open for lunch during the summer, and even then they open too late for many lunch hours). They're located in the end of a strip mall that once housed a Gridiron restaurant (known for its pimeinto cheeseburgers), and they've held on to some of the pictures on the wall from that location, but removed the lunch counter seats which would have kept a neat retro feel. There are still a handful of tables, booths, and window seats, so you can watch the traffic on Elvis Presley go by while you have your sandwich or rip tips.

The hot sandwich was both spicy, smoky, and fairly heavily sauced--like the original, it's reminiscent of A&R (the families are related), but the year or so between my visits has make the two sandwiches somewhat more distinct. Like, A&R, it's sloppy, so it's definitely not for eating while in motion, but pretty good for eating either in the restaurant or taking home. When I visited, it was their opening weekend, and it took almost a half hour between walking in the door and getting my food. Hopefully they'll be able to provide better service once the excitement of a new place dies down.

4101 Elvis Presley Blvd

Memphis, TN 38116
901-552-4502