It’s pretty common knowledge that Jerry “The King” Lawler is a Memphis, Tennessee institution. As a child of the 1980s, I was familiar with Lawler’s work initially as an announcer with the WWF (WWE). Eventually, I learned a bit more through the classic 1999 film Man on the Moon, which discussed Lawler’s feud with Andy Kaufman. As I delved through the Wrestlecrap forums in the mid-2000s and Youtube came online, I started to see more of the matches that made Lawler a star.
Imagine my surprise when we drove by Jerry Lawler’s Memphis BBQ Company when we stopped to pick up holiday gifts en route back to Ohio. I had heard about the restaurant through Jim Cornette’s podcast but never imagined that we’d be able to stop. Pulling in to a fairly nondescript strip mall, we entered the restaurant and placed our order.
The Jerry Lawler Memphis BBQ Company is adorned with blown-up pictures of Lawler’s matches with a number of legendary performers. Chairs are the type that you’d imagine was in any of the armories or civic auditoriums where Lawler wrestled, while there is a set of ring ropes acting as a center piece. After you marvel at all the ambiance, start out with a trio of appetizers, including BBQ nachos ($8.99), fresh fried pork rinds which are crispy ($4.99) and adorned with a goodly amount of the house-crafted rub, sweet potato fries with powdered sugar and maple syrup ($4.49).
For those looking to keep a svelte figure, a salad ($6.99) containing pecans and strawberries can be topped with chicken, pulled pork, or brisket (for an additional charge). The meats deserve the greatest focus here. Where so many other places make their barbecue chicken dry and mealy, Jerry Lawler’s chicken is succulent and possesses a deep, sweet, and smoky flavor to each bite. The smoked sausage is rich and pops when one takes a bite, while the pulled pork and brisket are strong inclusions whenever one chooses a platter (up to three meats, along with a pair of sides and a roll for $9.99). The restaurant’s “Big Red Splash” is a tremendous value for the stated $13.95 price, coming with a pair of ribs alongside the rest of the meats, coupled with two sides. Each of the non-rib meats can be put into a “Slamwich”, which can be loaded up with slaw for an additional bit of brightness.All the traditional sides – fries, slaw, beans, mac & cheese, chips, and potato salad – are available. Kids meals are also available ($5.49) which provided our daughter with two solid meals worth of eating.
Of course, there are larger platters for those with big appetites of for family reunions or other get-togethers. While we only stopped in for lunch, we could easily see picking up a “Main Event” ($59.95) which provides a party three full pounds of meat, 4 pints of sides, 8 rolls and ample amounts of sauces.
Lawler’s BBQ sauces and rubs, along with shirts representing the store, are also available for purchase. The restaurant is located at 465 N Germantown Parkway in Cordova, Tennessee and maintains hours from 11 AM until 9 PM every night. Make sure to pick up a peach cobbler or banana pudding before leaving.
Jerry Lawler Memphis BBQ Company (Cordova, TN)
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My Very Bad Restaurant Review – – Please Read.
On 05/11/18 around 4:00p.m. I went to Jerry Lawlers BBQ Restaurant on Germantown Parkway, Cordova, TN.
I was getting dinner inside of the restaurant for my family and two young African American boys came in respectfully. One being about 10-12 asked if he could please use the restroom. The other being about 6-7 asked if he could please have a cup of water. They were both visually hot as they had beaded sweat on their forehead. It was more than 90 degrees outside. The manager or owner (white male) told “it was fine but they weren’t going to act like a bunch of heathens in here!” He also watched the young man going to the bathroom and said he “needed to hurry and get out of the restaurant.” My jaw dropped. So the one went to the restroom and the other went to the drink machine.
Remember this other young man was about 6-7 years old and it was one of the many drink coca cola drink machines and he was trying to find the water button. The manager came from around the counter and told him he was trying to steal some type of fruity drink. He had nothing in his cup. The manager snatched the empty cup out of the boys hand and threw him out of the restaurant.
I got my food and was standing in awe. The woman on the other side of the counter was trying to get my attention and thought I was distracted by the overhead music being played. I said I was being distracted by that man calling those boys “heathens” for no reason. The woman who was also African American looked at me like that was the norm around there and she said nothing.
She began explaining about my food and I opened the container and there was very little food in the container (specifically meat) and one order was a triple meat platter, all of which were to be smoked sausage. The manager from the other side of the counter said to me, “there is 6 ounces of meat in that container, do you have a problem with it?” I took my bag to the car and then came back in the store. I put my food on the counter and told that manager he should be ashamed of himself for treating those young men like that. He said he didn’t agree. I told him that he called those boys heathens because they were black and he again should be ashamed of himself. He said, “I don’t agree and I didn’t say anything wrong.”
These young men came in and did nothing wrong. They weren’t rambunxious, noisy or disrespectful. They said please and thank you and the manager or owner or whatever was out of line.
I put the food back on the counter and said that they can have it back, as he should be ashamed of himself. I turned to walk out of the store and this manager guy followed me out of the store yelling at me. I just kept walking out. He followed me out to my car and he said his wife and kids were black and I told him my husband and son are black and he should know better then and he should be ashamed of the way he talked to those children. He kept telling me I was wrong and came clear up to my car. I got in my car and he just looked at me standing in front of my car.
This man was beyond foul, disrespectful, and really should be ashamed of himself for what he did to those two! No, I didn’t wait for a refund and no we will never return.
Racism and profiling are not ok. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!