Buckley's Grill

Goodbye...

When I returned to Memphis in 1994, I remembered driving by my old doctor's office where I went to as a kid. My doctor's office was located in East Memphis in an office park near Poplar Avenue, behind a Dairy Queen that intrigued me. I always wanted to go the "Queen" as a kid but never made it there (that particular Dairy Queen, for I have visited others). Unfortunately, the Dairy Queen left, replaced by a steakhouse with a goofy bull as its logo. Had that restaurant been around when I was growing up, I would have been more anxious to go to that than Dairy Queen because of the restaurant's goofy logo. It looked like a fun place to go for a special occasion like a birthday, something that I've been recently celebrating. Fast forward thirty years to the present, and I am mourning the end of one the most iconic restaurants in Memphis history. Buckley's Grill has been around for a long time as a one of the best steakhouses in town, with a reputation for excellence on par with restaurants like Folk's Folly. I never thought that it would ever go out of business, for it was an institution to me. Unfortunately, Buckley's is one of the many casualties of the restaurant business in 2024. While recent restaurant entrants like 117 Prime and Maximo's on Broad (formerly Three Angels Diner) didn't beat the odds for business success, I assumed that Buckley's was well beyond that with a long future ahead of it. Personally, I had it slated to be a part of my "birthday" series of reviews of restaurants where I had my birthday dinners. With both Buckley's and Bounty on Broad both going out of business in 2024 (along with Bishop), I am going to be hard pressed to find other restaurants that are "B"-fitting.

What I would like to know is why are so many restaurants are failing in 2024? I know the restaurant business is tough and many new restaurants don't last a year, but the places that I mentioned above were all popular eateries that seemingly didn't lack customers. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants have struggled to retain workers that in turn drives labor costs. In order to maintain profits (or at least break even, something that many restaurants find difficult), prices have to go up, contributing to inflation that's affecting the economy as a whole. Because of that, fewer people dine out which in turn hurts restaurants. When combined with other factors ranging from higher rents to crime and various other operating expenses like insurance going up, it all makes for a tough environment for a restaurant to thrive. Having said all of this, I don't know why Buckley's is closing, but I will be surprised if at least some of the reasons that I mentioned didn't play a part in that.

SIDE NOTE: There's an article in the Daily Mail that better explains what might have happened at Buckley's.

Although I only dined at Buckley's once, I was fortunate enough to get the Wild Will's Ribeye. From what I could remember, the steak was cooked to a perfect "medium rare" temperature. The taste was on par with other great restaurants, for the ribeye had good seasoning that meshed well with the steak's savory charred crust. The sides of garlic mashed potatoes (called "Buckley Buds") and creamed spinach were also very good, both with the steak and as standalone items. In all, I enjoyed the steak and regret not getting it more often. By the way, I want tip my hat to Nate, (former manager of the Flying Saucer) for ensuring that I had a great experience at the restaurant.

In addition to the restaurant, Buckley's also had another location that catered to the lunch crowd, appropriately named Buckley's Lunchbox. I went there one day for lunch, despite the fact that Summer Avenue has many restaurants serving great burgers that are literally within walking distance of my workplace. However, none of those places offer a "jam burger" on their menus. Being the adventurous foodie, I made the trip to Yates Road for what I hoped would an interesting lunch. The Memphis Jam Burger didn't disappoint, for the savory flavor of the beef, along with the garlic and herbs of the Boursin cheese and fried onion straws went amazingly well with the strawberry jam. The jam didn't seem out of place and actually provided balance to the other elements of the burger. In all, the Memphis Jam Burger was great and will be greatly missed.

SIDE NOTE: As I'm writing this, I learned that Cocozza, everyone's favorite "red sauce" Italian restaurant, will be opening a second location in the space formerly occupied by Buckley's Lunchbox. In my opinion, I believe that this a step up for the East Memphis neighborhood. If anyone can resurrect an abandoned restaurant location, it is the owners of the Majestic Grille, a booming Downtown restaurant in a space were others failed. I wish the new "Cocozza" the best of luck.

It is unfortunate that Buckley's Grill is going away. As I said earlier, I was planning to have a "birthday dinner" there but now I will have to make other plans. Although life will go on, seeing restaurants like Buckley's go away saddens me. I feel like I didn't do my part to keep them in business, but if it was meant to them to succeed, they would be open. Sometimes fate can be cruel, which for Memphis diners meant the loss of an icon.

Goodbye, Buckley's Grill

SIDE NOTE: There's an episode on The Daily Memphian's "The Sidebar" podcast that talks about the current state of the restaurant business. Reporter Jennifer Chandler gives a big "shout out" to Cocozza. Check it out on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Website: BuckleysGrill.com

(I know it's pointless to include this, but it's appropriate respect for this great restaurant. By the way, the menus for the main restaurant and the "Lunchbox" are still online.)