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AI-generated illustration: Dry Rub Ribs barbecue representing Germantown Commissary in Memphis, Tennessee
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Germantown Commissary

Germantown, Germantown·$$·Est. 1981
AIAI-generated illustration — not a photograph of this restaurant. About our images
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8.9/ 10
1,987 reviews

“Suburban Memphis BBQ inside a 1900s general store”

Germantown Commissary occupies a restored 1900s general store, which makes it one of the most atmospheric barbecue rooms in the Memphis area. The low ceilings and wood-paneled walls feel like stepping back a century, and the smoke that fills them has kept the suburb loyal for decades. The slow-smoked ribs, offered dry or wet, are the consistent draw, but the smoked turkey is the sleeper hit, moist and genuinely smoky where most versions go dry. Pulled pork plates arrive as a generous heap of smoked shoulder, and the banana pudding is the expected sweet finish that regulars still order every time. Setting and substance rarely line up this well; here the building is half the pleasure and the pit, sauce optional and smoke-forward, delivers the rest. Few rooms in the region wear their history so easily.

Know Before You Go

Hours
Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–8pm
Price
Mid-range ($$)
Don't miss
Dry Rub Ribs, Pulled Pork Plate, and Smoked Turkey

What to Order

1
Dry Rub Ribs
2
Pulled Pork Plate
3
Smoked Turkey
4
Banana Pudding

Why It Stands Out

Germantown Commissary serves the full Memphis experience inside a lovingly preserved 19th-century general store, one of the region's most atmospheric rooms. Its smoked turkey may be the best in the Memphis area.

Quick Facts

Address
2290 S Germantown Rd, Germantown, TN 38138
Hours
Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–8pm
Price Range
$$
Established
1981

Ratings Breakdown

6 dimensions, each scored 0-10

510Smoke8.7Bark8.5Tenderness9.0Value8.2Atmosphere9.5Consistency9.0
Smoke8.7
Bark8.5
Tenderness9.0
Value8.2
Atmosphere9.5
Consistency9.0
Back to Best BBQ in Memphis

Germantown Commissary — Frequently Asked Questions

What should I order at Germantown Commissary?

Regulars point to Dry Rub Ribs, Pulled Pork Plate, Smoked Turkey, and Banana Pudding.

What are Germantown Commissary's hours?

Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–8pm

Is Germantown Commissary expensive?

Germantown Commissary is mid-range ($$).

What kind of barbecue does Germantown Commissary serve?

Germantown Commissary serves Memphis Style barbecue — Memphis BBQ is rib country. The great debate is wet vs. dry: dry ribs are coated in a paprika-heavy spice rub and served without sauce, while wet ribs are glazed with a tomato-vinegar based sauce. Memphis also claims BBQ spaghetti and the BBQ nachos.

When did Germantown Commissary open?

Germantown Commissary has been serving Memphis barbecue since 1981.