Alex's Tavern


Finally (Part 5)

It has taken me a long time to do this, but I've finally gotten around to reviewing Alex's Tavern. The reason that it took so long is that I've never been sober enough to do it. In fact, I thought about making the subtitle "Doing It Sober" to point out the significance of me not being hammered when I assessed the tavern. Before I go further, I want to stress that most of my visits to Alex's was after 2:00 A.M. when the bar is usually at its peak. For those unfamiliar with the bar, Alex's Tavern is famous for keeping late night hours that stretch into the next day. The bar is popular with bartenders and others in the service industry who go there after working long shifts at other establishments. I am rarely out that late and hardly in good shape when I am. However, last Saturday was different, for I was in the right state of mind to do a competent review.


Although my original intention was to write about Alex's burgers, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take advantage of the barbecue ribs that the bar sells on weekends. I ended up getting a half slab of ribs that were literally the last of Alex's barbecue for the night along with seasoned fries and baked beans. The ribs were "dry" with plenty of barbecue sauce on the side, which allowed me to get the total BBQ experience. The ribs were rubbed with Greek spices that are the hallmark of the tavern (the key ingredient is Cavender's Greek Seasoning, something that the bar uses to season everything on its menu). As far as dry rub ribs go, Alex's was very good and far better than places like the overrated and over hyped Rendezvous, but the tender and juicy ribs are awesome in Alex's barbecue sauce. To describe exactly how the sauce taste is bit difficult for a novice like me, but Greek spices gives it a distinctive flavor that is unlike anything I had before. Like most barbecue sauces, Alex's has an element of sweetness but it is well-balanced with spices that add tartness to a great barbecue sauce. Collectively, Alex's ribs are better than most barbecue joints that I've been to including my favorite since childhood, Cozy Corner. I'm hesitant to say that Alex's Tavern serves Memphis' best barbecue because I feel like I'm betraying an old friend but I try to be objective in writing my reviews. Therefore, I will conclude by saying that anyone who isn't partial to any particular BBQ restaurant or has never had Memphis barbecue would likely choose Alex's ribs in a taste test of the city's best restaurants. Of course, this is merely an assumption but you'll be hard pressed to find anyone having a negative opinion of Alex's ribs.


As outstanding as the ribs are, Alex's seasoned steak fries are just as noteworthy. Seasoned with a mix of Sonny Salt and Cavender's Greek Seasoning and likely benefiting from the smoky aroma of the barbecue, the fries are the perfect side item for the tavern's ribs. But even if you are eating them with Alex's Greek Burger or Rock-Mo's Chicken Drummies, the steak fries are a great complement that will make either your lunch or dinner better. Even if you don't have much of an appetite, the seasoned steak fries are simply great by themselves as bar food to snack on while watching a ball game or socializing. Compared to other seasoned fries, Alex's is incomparable and the best I've ever had.


The main reason for writing this review was to highlight Alex's Greek Burger. Seasoned with Cavender's Greek Seasoning and a special version of black pepper, the "medium" cooked Greek Burger is one of the many unique things that I've had in Memphis. Every time I eat one, I get an exotic experience similar to my Air Force days when I was stationed in Italy. Of course, local, non-chain hamburger joints were a rarity during my time in Europe but I'm glad that a little Greek ingenuity made its way to Memphis for a great burger that is among the city's best.

I could go on and on about the food at Alex's Tavern, Memphis' oldest tavern established by Alex Kasaftes in 1953. Bottom line is that you won't find anything on the menu that isn't anything short of great. Whether its barbecue, burgers or Rock-Mo's Chicken Drummies that are the best and most popular hot wings in Memphis, owner Rocky Kasaftes and his crew don't screw around in serving great food. By the way, I want to mention that Alex's Tavern is a CASH ONLY restaurant, meaning that it doesn't take credit cards although it has an ATM on the premises. That's something to keep in mind if you decide to get some of the best bar food in Memphis.

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Alex's Tavern Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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