One & Only BBQ

Bbq? Lean and delicious.
Fries? Crispy and savory.
Slaw? Right amount of tang equals scrumptious.
And the banana pudding is to die for!
This restaurant is a bundle of greatness! Kind and considerate and funny staff, best Memphis BBQ if you ask me, and a way cool atmosphere that embraces the the glory days of Motown.
Also, the curb side service is awesome (you can call in an order, tell them when you get there, and they bring it to your car! Pretty cool/​convenient if you don’t have time to kick back in the ever-​so-​delightful establishment)
P. S. they have a couple of TVs if you feel like watching some grizz or tigers while you’re out!

I’ve been here on a couple occasions I usually have the same server Allie, she’s probably the best server I’ve ever had in my entire life. So if you go there make sure you ask for Allie. Your glass will never be empty, and she’s as sweet as the Tea. The barbecue nachos are superb and the pulled pork is one of the best in Memphis. Would definitely recommend to anyone a great place to Dine, for any occasion !

This is a good place to eat. I got the turkey and, believe me, it was worth it. All of my family got different things and everyone was happy with their food. The service was good. The prices were pretty good-​barbecue is just expensive. I would highly recommend that you go there for some delicious food.

We went when they weren’t that busy and got terrible service – not only was it super slow but they didn’t do anything when we had to ask where the food was or to speak to a manager… «The manager is working in the kitchen and will come by when he can…» (But he was never informed and it turns out there are multiple managers in this tiny establishment). The bread on my sandwich was old and the tomato was totally unripe.

Top notch!!! Ribs are the real deal! Bo is a great server. The best we have had! A little wait due to the bowl game but well worth it.

One of my favorite BBQ spots in Memphis. Native and choice (post college) Memphian. Great service and they staff will gladly bend over backwards for your centering needs!

Great ambiance for a trendy new BBQ place in Memphis! Really enjoyed the BBQ pork with slaw. The sauce was outstanding and the local beer washed it down well. Recommended. Cheers! Get a booth near the window.

Is profanity allowed on Unilocal?Because this food was so good I could cuss. Although I frequent Memphis, thus place was never on my radar until a cousin mentioned it. HOW, SWAY!!! we ordered up a lot. Smoked wings. Sausage. A BBQ bologna sandwich. Banana pudding. Red Velvet cake. Baked beans and deviled eggs as sides. That BBQ bologna sandwich was a blessing. It was thick cut, on a large soft bun, and had coleslaw and BBQ sauce. It was bologna perfection. My second favorite was the sausage. They grill and season it. The wings were good too. I preferred the banana pudding as a dessert. The baked beans were the one thing I likely wouldn’t order again. Portions were large. I definitely see this being a regular stop when I am in Memphis. The girls working the front were really nice. The floor was a little greasy, but the bathroom was clean and they did have a security guard on duty. Also, they had several options for ordering family/​game day packs.

Best service and the tasty BBQ. Our server, Jurnee is so friendly and on top of everything! Must go place in Memphis!

So amazing! We ate outside since we were traveling with our dogs, and the waiter brought a glass of ice water for them when he saw we’d brought their water bowls with us. He was very nice and didn’t forget about us, even though we were the only table out there.
Definitely order the dry ribs, beans, and banana pudding. We did the 2 meat meal and missed the chance to gorge ourselves solely on those ribs. The chopped pork was good, too, but the ribs were wondrous.

It’s nearly impossible for me to drive through Memphis without stopping for some tasty ‘que. There are still a few of the well-​known players to check off of my Memphis barbecue list, but today I set my sights on One & Only BBQ, in part because they would have some non-​barbecue options for my wife.
A sandwich probably would have been the appropriate to-​go choice for the road, but I much prefer my barbecue in plate form. Their combo options were limited to two– and four-​meat platters, as opposed to my customary three-​meater. The two-​meat barbecue plate is pretty expensive at $ 16.99, so four meats would likely break the bank. I settled for a 2 Meat Platter of sliced brisket and pulled pork, with deviled eggs and sweet potato fries as my side dishes.
The fries weren’t overly crisp, and I actually don’t think that sweet potato fries should be. They were cooked well and tasted homemade, although I can’t be certain of that. Deviled eggs were another strategic driving choice. The eggs were creamy and mustardy, with just the right amount of salt and paprika and whatever other deliciousness they had sprinkled on top. There was also a slight sweetness that I really enjoyed.
One & Only’s pulled pork gets smoked over hickory for fifteen hours straight. That much time in the smoker was sure to produce fantastic results, which it did. Most of the meat had only a moderate, yet unmistakably-​hickory smokiness. My plate contained only a few pieces of bark, but they were awesome and packed at least double the smoke level I had found initially. The meat itself was tender and very juicy, as well it should have been.
Their brisket gets marinated, smoked, sliced thin, and then finished on the grill with some extra seasoning. Honestly, I was a bit weary of the advertised thin-​sliced beef. To my delight, the brisket was spectacular! It tasted like thin, smoky strips of steak, especially with the added steak marinade. I also loved the rub, which brought out even more flavor. The best way that I can describe it is that it’s kind of like a barbecue/​steak/​shawarma fusion. This was clearly not a Texas brisket, but it was awesome nonetheless.
My wife, who ordered a pulled chicken sandwich despite my efforts to accommodate her barbecue apathy, said that it was probably the best she’s ever had. That’s certainly high praise coming from her, and I share her sentiment. I managed to eat my entire plate without making a mess of my clothes, except for the piece of pulled pork that I found later in my shirt pocket. Totally worth it.

Had just arrived to Memphis for the first time and needed to try some bbq!
The atmosphere is like a diner and ppl were friendly.
I ordered the twice baked potato salad, which I would recommend. The pulled pork sandwich was also good.
I only gave this place 3 stars bc my service lacked. I literally had to ask for everything: to get my drink (food came out before my drink), a straw, my coleslaw that I’d ordered, and silverware. My server even started wiping some tables down as she was coming back with my silverware. It wasn’t awful, just would’ve made my experience better, as they were not that busy (was after lunch hour).
(I do wish I would’ve tried the banana cream pudding, but I was stuffed!)

One & Only was originally suggested by a co-​worker. I can’t say «Thank you» enough!
Now…when you find them, and you will, what appears to be their parking lot is very small. However, there is a huge parking lot around & somewhat behind them, too. Right up front, there are a couple of «Take Out Only» parking spaces. They will take your order by phone & when you arrive, simply stay in your car. Soon, you will have smoky, tangy goodness that might even make it home to your friends & family. Might…
If you are dining in, just pick a table and inhale the aromatic wonders that are One & Only. They have a nicely creative menu with things like quesadillas & whole smoke chicken wings in addition to the standards.
On my most recent visit, I ordered the BBQ Bologna sandwich ($ 3.99) minus the slaw, but that’s just me. I also ordered the Pulled Pork Nachos. Thank goodness our wonderful server, Jurnee, suggested a half order ($ 5.99). The «half» order was still as large as anything I could get down the street. My lunch companion ordered the Sliced Beef Sandwich (no slaw).
The food came out quickly. It was fresh, hot, and flavorful. The nachos come loaded with creamy cheese, tons of pulled pork shoulder that is moist & smoky, and plenty of jalapeños on top (optional). The brisket sammie had enough meat for two sandwiches and a side of fries. The brisket was sliced nice & thin, and it was also very flavorful.
They offer a «sweet» sauce and a «spicy» sauce. Both are on the sweet side, and the spicy is pretty safe for nearly anyone. I could not detect any amount of heat… maybe a little pop, but no heat. Our server also recommended a side of the potato salad. I am pretty sure she called it «Spicy Potato Salad.» Anyway, it sounded great, but I already overdid it! They have some amazing deserts up front in their case. I saw an awesome looking pecan pie and an amazing Red Velvet Cake.
I would give their sauce 3 stars, the pulled pork 5 stars, and the creativity of the menu 5 stars. Overall, this place needs to be on your BBQ Bucket List.

Best brisket sandwich I’ve ever had. We’ve been here twice and I’ve gotten it both times. My wife said this is her favorite pork sandwich in Memphis.

It is all about the meat. Ribs yes. Brisket yes. Shoulder yes. Chicken sandwich so so. Sides. Fries yes. Twice baked tater salad ok. Others acceptable. Service efficient and friendly. Food comes out not always together but not long from first to last with five dining. Short drive makes it better.

I went their last night for dinner and we order the 4 meat plate. It comes with 3 sides and two pieces of Texas toast. Now I will admit that this restaurant has good service as they did mess up our order the first few times but were able to correct it promptly. As meats we ordered brisket, pulled pork, roasted chicken and dry ribs. For sides we ordered sweet potato fries, baked beans and deviled eggs (5 eggs come as a side). Now the first mistake was double chicken instead of pulled pork, the second was potato salad instead of deviled eggs and french fries instead of sweet potato fries lol. My thinking was it was just busy and the cooks got confused, which was cool, it happens.
Lets move on to how the food tasted! I myself did not like their bbq sauce at all, it just didn’t taste right with anything. So I ate the meat as served, the chicken had a nice taste to it as did the ribs, however the pull pork and brisket I did not like at all, the brisket tasted burnt and the pull pork was bland. For sides: the baked beans were actually pretty good and the sweet potato fries were great and so were the french fries but that is a biased review as I love fries and I don’t think I have ever tried a bad fry before lol. However, the potato salad was bad, they use way too much mayonnaise and thats all you taste, and I’ve had better deviled eggs.
Overall, this restaurant was very welcoming, has good service, and I liked some of the things on their menu and would be back to try some other things.

I was in town for training and since Memphis BBQ is world famous, I had to give it a shot. I was completely satisfied by the chicken dinner and BBQ beans. I will say though, their sauce, even the spicy one, leaves heat to be desired. Memphis BBQ is more of a sweet thing rather than spicy.

First try of One and Only may be the one and only…
I stopped in for a quick lunch and figured the pulled pork would be the fastest, safest bet for my first visit. I order a regular (without slaw, because slaw is gross) and an order of beans. I always drink water so that was normal.
On a side note… There were a whole slew of big wig looking guys with really expensive cars in the store while I was there. Lots of business to discuss, ya know… I think they were having a meeting.
Food arrives and there is literally pork overflowing all the way around the sandwich. Too much really… When I pick it up, half of it falls out everywhere, oh well add it to the beans right. I look for some sauce because the pork is fairly moist but really needs some flavor. I am a Hot Sauce kind of guy, so naturally that is what I go for. I pour some on the sandwich and try it… nothing but slight flavor… Add more sauce… Yuck! This has got to be the worst sauce I have ever had. It was shiny, what the? Why is it shiny? I don’t know who choose this stuff but it is really bad. I really hope it isn’t someone’s recipe because it is terrible. I eat as much of the sandwich as I can and dabble a bit in the beans because they were equally unimpressive and seemed to be poured right from a can and microwaved.
I am in a hurry and my server is up front counting money so I go to him to seek the check. He looks it up and tells me $ 9.82… I pay without thinking and then I get to the car a realized beans, sandwich, and water was almost $ 10! Are you joking? I can get the same thing at Payne’s and pay less than $ 5, and it’s REALLY good with homemade sauce spiced to order!
I would totally come back and chalk it up to a bad first experience but that sauce will easily ruin any meat that it comes in contact with. So why even bother?
I hope the big wigs where working on a new sauce… Call me, I can help…

One and Only has become my family’s go-​to BBQ joint over the past couple of years. Which is saying a lot here in Memphis. The pulled pork and chicken bbq are both excellent choices. When it comes to picking your sides always, always get the twice baked potato salad, I don’t normally like potato salad, and I can’t get enough of this stuff. The pink lemonade here is great too, not sure if it’s a mix or homemade, but it sure is tasty. The Strawberry fields salad could be great — if the dressings actually went with it.
I’ve been to several functions where One and Only has catered and they’ve always done a great job. So much so that several co-​workers have told me they now frequent the place.
On a slightly picky note, the chairs at this location are pretty uncomfortable. The back of the chair basically has one high arch that comes up near your shoulders leaving the rest of your spine unsupported.

First, sorry, Kyle, I definitely do not love this place as much as you do!
Let’s start with the good. The pulled pork is good. The burgers are good. The ribs are good. And, yes, that twiced baked potato salad is good. The portion sizes are great. Staff is friendly.
And now the bad. The BBQ sauces are awful… I knew this even before another Unilocaler discovered that the O&O’s BBQ sauce is just dressed up Kraft BBQ sauce when she saw the delivery trucks hauling gallons of that vomit in. O&O made it a whole lot sweeter, so if they pour this on ice cream, I’ll probably eat it, but on BBQ??? KHAN!!!
Now, Memphis ribs is known for good dry rubs, so who cares about the sauces. But having a BBQ burger or sandwich with the sauce all over just ruins the flavors. It’s just a pity really. They do a lot of right, but that sauce… No.
One & Only: Good meats, great portions, friendly staff, awful sauces.