Tom's BBQ

Working-class chopped pork the tourists never find

Tom's BBQ is a barbecue restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tom's BBQ is a Memphis neighborhood chain that locals swear by and tourists rarely stumble onto, with locations scattered across the city. It trades in honest, affordable barbecue served in plain rooms, the sort of place woven into a lunch break rather than a travel itinerary.

The rib tips are the sleeper standout, some of the best in Memphis, loaded with smoky, fatty flavor at a fraction of the destination-pit price. The chopped pork sandwich rivals Payne's without the sell-out wait, hand-chopped shoulder with a real smoke edge, the smoked bologna is a proper thick-cut plate, and smoky baked beans round out a tray that keeps the bill low. This is the working-class backbone of Memphis barbecue, the everyday smoke that regulars grew up on and never had a reason to trade up for something flashier.

• Style: Memphis Style
• Price: $
• Neighborhood: Multiple Locations
• Serving since 1990

What to order

• Chopped Pork Sandwich
• Rib Tips
• BBQ Bologna
• Baked Beans

How it scores — 8.5/10 overall

• Smoke: 8.5/10
• Bark: 8.0/10
• Tenderness: 8.8/10
• Consistency: 8.5/10
• Value: 9.5/10
• Atmosphere: 7.0/10

Visiting

• Address: 4087 New Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN 38118
• Phone: (901) 365-6690

Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8pm

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