Charlie Vergos Rendezvous

Memphis, United States

3.4

Closed now

22 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 901-523-2746
Website:
www.hogsfly.com
Address:
52 S 2nd St, Memphis, TN, 38103
Downtown
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
690 ftMadison Avenue
910 ftThird Street
990 ftPeabody Place
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Garage, Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Loud
Alcohol
Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 4:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Closed now
Local time (Memphis) 02:37 Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 4:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Wednesday 4:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Thursday 4:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Nearly every Memphis local would argue that you haven’t tasted authentic barbecue until you’ve visited Rendezvous. The iconic downtown restaurant was opened in 1948 by Charles Vergos and it has become an institution ever since. Rendezvous is world-​reknowned for their signature rack of ribs, covered in the perfect spice blend and slowly cooked to perfection. With a staff that has served loyal customers for over 30 years, they are beloved for their outstanding hospitality. A lively place to gather with family and friends, Rendezvous remains a Memphis gem that promises great food and a good time to be had by all!

History

Established in 1948.

The Rendezvous, founded by Charlie Vergos in 1948, started out as an 80 seat tavern serving ham and cheese sandwiches. When Charlie cleaned out the basement beneath his diner, he discovered a coal chute and started a barbecue legend. The coal chute gave Mr. Charlie a vent for his considerable talent over the grill. He developed a unique seasoning fusing his Greek heritage with spices he enjoyed from New Orleans. Today, the restaurant is run by Mr. Charlie’s three kids, but the ribs still taste the same as they did over 50 years ago. By the way, the Rendezvous still serves an excellent ham and cheese sandwich!

Meet the Business Owner

The Vergos Family V.

Business Owner

A word from our family:

We are still a family owned and operated business. Mr. Charlie passed away in March of 2010 but his three kids grew up in the restaurant and continue to run it today. We are a busy and large restaurant serving between 3,000−4,000 people on an average Saturday and our staff has been with us for many many years. We certainly don’t profess perfection, the only thing we ask of our customers is to tell us when there is a problem. There is almost always a Vergos family member on the floor for this reason; we are there to make sure our customers leave happy.

Many people have heard about all the famous people we have served, but what has kept us in business for 60 years is the Memphis community. We serve people every day that have been coming down here since the beginning.

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22 reviews of Charlie Vergos Rendezvous

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Place rating: 4
Martinez, CA
Loved This place. From California so I didn’t know what to expect but this was recommended. Whether it’s a true reflection of the Memphis food culture or a tourist trAp — I don’t know. But. The dry pork ribs were delicious ! I didn’t need the BBQ sauce (which was okay– not a fan of the vinegar BBQ sauce and North Carolina is the worst for this!) the small plate consisted of 5 short robs and 2 sides for $ 15. The short ribs were small and I wanted more :-) and the sides come on this small plastic container so it’s really not a lot. I got 2 sides of beans which were great (not a fan of slaw or mustard potato or salad)
Place rating: 3
Garland, TX
The dry rub ribs were good, but that’s where the good review stops. The coleslaw was vinegary, the beans were alright,(but I am not a fan of baked beans anyway.)
I did not like the feel of the place. It was old-​timey, but not in a good way. Finding the place is difficult. In an alley, then you descend into a dark damp cave. No other customers at their tables were eating when we sat down, which made me think it was going to take forever to get our food. It was fairly quick. I think our waiter had probably been there for 30 years because he acted a little strange, said some weird jokes… and wandered around only checking in on us once while we were there. Which made me think, this guy is not afraid to get fired.
This was the first major food stop on my summer road trip. One reoccurring thing I noticed this restaurant did, that doesn’t happen in Texas, we were given a pitcher of ice water for the table. Thank you! I need that always.
Place rating: 2
Chicago, IL
Tonight, we had two Texans and a Kansan arrive at Charlie Vergo’s. This means we know our bbq and we know it well. Don’t mess with us.
We were served what appeared to be ribs but was actually fast-​cooked pork pieces that chewed like pizza box cardboard. Seriously, a place that bills itself as this good at ribs should know better than this. If this is all they can do, perhaps just selling t-​shirts is a better idea.
What a total disappointment. Try Central BBQ instead.
Place rating: 5
Austin, TX
Best nachos I’ve ever had in my entire life!!! BBQ pork nachos that I could eat every day. The chips are perfectly crunchy and salty, the pork is tender and very flavorful, the BBQ sauce is some of the best I’ve ever had and the cheese is just perfection! The ribs were very tender/​fall off the bone quality. Love their sauce!
Place rating: 2
Swansea, IL
The ribs were dry and not as flavorful as expected from all they hype everyone put into the reviews. Maybe they have lost their touch.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, IL
The chopped BBQ chicken was amazing. The ribs are very good, with a delicious rub. The beans and slaw are also good. The service was friendly and fast. I’m very happy with my experience at Rendezvous.
Place rating: 1
Miami, FL
Overprice for what they offer. Very small portions and dry meat, but what really bother my about this place was the costumer service. The waiter told me he will be back with bread guess what I never got it and all the tables around me had it. Then their «famous» ribs are a rip off to be honest.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Huge place, feels like a bbq factory but the service was quick (as per our request) and extremely friendly!
We started off with platters of cheese, slices of sausage, pickles and spicy peppers for the tables and everything quickly disappeared! It was easy for our party of 20. I liked the sausages very much, not sure about the cheese, it felt like a regular piece of yellow thing…
Entrees were huge and easily shareable. My husband and I enjoyed a ribs and brisket combo, with sides of baked beans and coleslaw. While I wasn’t a fan of the brisket, I truly loved the ribs! The dry rub gives them a complex flavor that deepens the character of the meat, it was delicious! Also, it was quite lean and felt natural to suck the bones dry hahaha! The sides were good too! Beans weren’t spectacular but they were alright and the coleslaw felt light in mayo (maybe it was vinegar based) and quite unique. I got a bite of my neighbor’s potato salad and it was really yummy! Some of our friends loved the chicken and the pulled pork.
Overall, great bbq experience! While in Memphis, gotta try the dry rub thing even if you prefer other type of meat prep. I like it over the wet rubs, our meat was lean and tasty, you can leave the table feeling (almost) like you will fit your jeans the following day! It opens up the great debate of dry vs wet rubs, and that too is pretty cool!
Enjoy :)
Place rating: 3
Renton, WA
The sauce & rub on the ribs was good, didn’t need any bbq sauce on it. Baked beans was one of the better ones I’ve had-​not too sweet with a little smokey flavor. Coleslaw was a tart mustard flavor, potato salad was good. Bbq nachos was ok, nothing to write home about.
Waitress needed some work on customer svc. We were literally just seated and she already asked if we needed more time before we ordered. She came back 3 times while we were still looking at the menu. Would’ve given 4 stars if it wasn’t for the service. O/​w dinner was satisfying.
Place rating: 5
Seal Beach, CA
One of my favorite places to visit in Memphis. The food is spectacular! This is absolutely nothing healthy about this place… but oh man, it all sits so good in my tummy! Lol!
It’s location is completely random. It sits in an alley across from the Peabody Hotel. I’ve been there during busy nights, when you have to wait about 20 minutes (most) and I recently visited early in the evening when there was no wait time.
For a group of 4 adults, we ordered 2 racks of the ribs with a bunch of sides and of course, sweet tea. We were all so full and felt extremely content with our dinner.
There is plenty of history in the restaurant. It’s not the cleanest, but it’s all about the experience!!! I love it!!! The experience of it all is great and the food is amazing! Check it out!!!
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Came to Memphis on a business trip and looked up several places that were must eats here and came across Rendezvous. We came here shortly after it opened (had no trouble finding it!) and was seated right away (there were 4 of us)!
My BF got the rack of lamb and he said it was delish; ate his entire plate!
I had the combo plate with dry ribs and brisket. Ribs were okay but the brisket was bomb! I’m not a bean person but their bean was good too! I probably ate half my dish as I was still full from an earlier meal.
Our other friends got the combo plate with brisket and chicken and these guys washed it all down with a side of beer!
Overall everyone enjoyed their first dinner in Memphis!
Place rating: 1
Gastonia, NC
Ok, I heard a lot about this place and we were ready to tackle some ribs. We tackled ribs but it wasn’t easy. If you like tough ribs and fall off the bone is not your cup of tea then this place is for you. I prefer tender ribs myself. The price is high and the quality is low. This is a place that will send you to the bathroom and it’s not worth the time you will spend on the toilet. I give this place a one flush!
Place rating: 2
Memphis, TN
After having lived here for nearly a year, I thought it was about time that I tried their BBQ. I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about this place so I decided I should see for myself.
I will say, the service was fantastic! We were sat down right away, and no sooner than that our server was there to get our drink order. Their menu is short and sweet, I was a little disappointed to see that they didn’t offer mac & cheese as a side, but we were pretty ok with the beans and slaw.
The food came quick and looked good (sorry, didn’t remember to take a pic). The slaw is a vinegar slaw, which I’m not the biggest fan of, however the beans were good. My boyfriend & I shared the half slab & brisket combo. The ribs were not very tender, and the seasoning was too crunchy for my liking. Their sauce is not bad, but there are definitely better sauces in Memphis. The brisket was tender, but again I felt the flavor was lacking.
I would advise trying a different rib place if you’re looking for some Memphis BBQ (Central is still my favorite). I’m now going to be joining the band wagon of locals who claim that Rendezvous is a tourist trap.
Place rating: 3
Dallas, TX
I decided to check this place out based on pre-​existing reviews and that it was within walking distance of my hotel.
To start with, it’s entrance is pretty unassuming located in an alley. I went in the middle of the day, about 2pm and while there was a wait for a table, I was easily able to find a spot at the bar to eat.
One thing of note — they serve beer and wine only.
I opted for the sausage appetizer, which came with sliced smoked sausage, pickles and peppercini all sprinkled with their proprietary seasoning. The sausage was decent, I wouldn’t call it «out of this world».
Next was the brisket and rib platter which came with baked beans and cole slaw. The slaw had a vinegar typed sauce, I think I can say I didn’t really care for it. not because of the vinegar, but because of the seasoning that was used and how small the cabbage was chopped.
The ribs and brisket were both very good. The two bbq sauces were their original and spicy. I enjoyed the spicy the most. It wasn’t overwhelming and had more flavor to it.
It was a nice meal but I think it’s target customer base is more touristy while I try to find more of the «local gem».
Place rating: 4
Memphis, TN
Famous Ribs were great. Sweet and hot BBQ sauces on table… mix equal parts The best on the ribs
Not fall off the bone it a nice bite
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
On our quest for the best BBQ in Memphis, we made our way through a creepy alleyway with a flashing street light that you swore was a scene out of a murder mystery. However, it’s just around the corner that rests the self-​proclaimed «world’-famous rendezvous charcoal-​broiled pork ribs.»
The verdict? Dry-​rub ribs were PHENOMENAL!
We dropped by around 9:30 in the evening for a late supper after being out on Beale St. No line out the door, and service was spot on throughout the night. After seating ourselves, we ordered a round of Ghost Rivers on tap for $ 4 each. Pretty good deal if you ask City folks like me.
I heard and knew that these ribs were supposed to be some of the best, and I have to agree– they were phenomenal. The dry-​rubbed ribs came out a few minutes after we ordered, and immediately became a favorite throughout the weekend in Memphis. The meat nearly fell off the bone, and the smoky charcoal flavor made it some of the best I’ve ever had. A small order sets you back $ 16 which is decent, but worthwhile.
We also ordered a round of brisket, which unfortunately was a bit tougher and drier than what I’d like. I recommend sticking with the ribs that make this place famous. You won’t be disappointed.
Place rating: 3
Sauganash, Chicago, IL
When I came to Memphis from Chicago my intent was to try Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken listen to the blues and eat some good bbque. The chicken from Gus’s was absolutely remarkable. The blues & barbecue are also something Memphis is known for.
I was told that Charlie Vergous Rendezvous had one of the best dry rub ribs. In spite of the conflicting reviews we decided to try their ribs. CVR is located off of an alley in downtown Memphis. As you enter CVR you go downstairs into several large dining rooms that are decorated w/​a lot of art & artifacts similar to Buca di Peppo. Kind of an eclectic mix of art and artifacts all over.
The service was pretty good, but unfortunately I didn’t feel the ribs were that good. I love ribs even though they aren’t the healthiest food to eat. Living in Chicago I am spoiled as there are some remarkable places to get ribs like Smoque (NW side) or Lems (SE side).
The ribs @ CVR are dry rub. I love both dry rub and ribs with sauce. The seasoning @ CVR seemed rather bland. The ribs did have an interesting crunch as they leave the membrane on the underside of the ribs that I liked. There are also 2 sauces to add (which I did). 1 was spicier and had a little heat & the other one was a conventional rib sauce. The ribs in my opinion were better with the rib sauces, but still didn’t stack up to the better ribs in Chicago. There are at least ½ dozen places in Chicago with better ribs. The ribs also came with 2 sides, beans (ehh nothing to write home about) & co slaw (better then the beans)
Any suggestions from you Unilocalers in Memphis on great rib joints in your town?
Place rating: 4
Tampa, FL
This is a cool place to be. The whole restaurant is underground. The entrance is at the alleyway. Hmmm! The location may be not the good formula for restaurant but everyone in town know about this place.
They are famous on hand rub BBQ. The special is not about the the regular pork or beef BBQ. It is lamb riblets that they have prepared. This is the ultimate menu item that we are here for. We also order the baby back also. The baby back rib Is good but when you compare to lamb riblets, they are no comparison.
The lamb riblets is prepared to off the bone. Which mean slow fire in charcoal for many hours. I like the rub BBQ sauce that is dry and present a lot of spice herb in the surface.
The service is average, this may be the area to improve. The ambient is wonderful. Love the maze underground with different room decorations.
Place rating: 4
Ladera Ranch, CA
Easy to walk right past, this famous bbq joint is located down a small alley. Take the stairs to the lower level, and you’ve reached bbq heaven!
Though it was packed inside, we didn’t wait more than a couple of minutes for a table. This is no-​frills bbq with a small food and drink menu.
After grabbing a couple of beers, my husband and I ordered the brisket and pork ribs combo. This came with beans and a side of the tastiest, spicy coleslaw we’ve ever had. We also ordered sides of pickles and peppers and bread. The meat was pretty lean and deliciously seasoned and their spicy bbq sauce was amazing. I smothered it on everything!
This place is a must while in Memphis!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
A Memphis institution ! The barbecue nachos were a lovely treat prior to the ribs and had us salivating and excited for what was to come! Never had dry ribs before and these were yum. Ordered the large between two of us. Was so good. Spices and meat blended amazingly well. Meatier ribs would be my only suggestion.
Our server gave us generous helpings of rice, beans and sausage. Thank you. Off to cleanse my system now. Mmmm
Very homey interiors, touristy for a Memphis newbie.
Place rating: 5
Eastgate, Memphis, États-Unis
Classic Memphis experience! You have to go before you leave Memphis. Long waits, but you might see a star who is in town and knows where to eat dinner! ;)
Place rating: 3
Getafe, Madrid
Uno de los locales más famosos de costillas de cerdo a la barbacoa.
Sus costillas están hechas a la brasa con una selección de especias por encima y su salsa de la casa.
Aunque el local es famoso por sus costillas, se pueden pedir platos combinados con otros tipos de carne, como pollo a la brasa o brisket de ternera.
El personal es atento y te advierte si cree que pides en demasiada cantidad