Memo's Grill in Chattanooga: Memphis-Style Ribs and Pulled Pork in a Casual Counter-Service Setting

Memo's Grill is a counter-service barbecue restaurant that focuses on Memphis-style smoked meats, built around whole-hog pit barbecue and dry-rubbed ribs rather than sauce-forward finishes. The operation runs lean: order at the counter, collect your tray, and eat at simple tables or take out. It fits into Chattanooga's barbecue landscape as the closest local equivalent to roadside Memphis barbecue, distinct from the larger sit-down establishments that dominate the category.

What Memo's Grill Actually Is

Memo's operates as a no-frills lunch and dinner spot where the focus stays on smoke and meat. The kitchen smokes whole hogs and beef brisket in-house, pulls pork and chicken by hand, and does not layer on vinegar-based sauces or heavy finishing glazes as a default. This approach aligns with Memphis barbecue tradition, where the meat itself carries the meal and sauce exists as optional accompaniment. The space is compact and utilitarian, designed for quick turnover rather than lingering, and the customer base skews toward locals who know what they want.

Smoked Meats and Sides

Ribs arrive as full racks, cut to order, with a dry rub applied before smoking. Pulled pork comes by the pound and works equally well as a sandwich filling or a standalone plate. Brisket is available when the pit yields it, though availability varies week to week. Chicken halves are smoked whole and quartered tableside. Sides include traditional options: baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and collard greens. Prices run in the mid-range for Chattanooga barbecue: a half-rack of ribs costs roughly $12 to $14, pulled pork by the pound falls around $10 to $12, and combination plates land between $15 and $20. Sauce comes on the side in squeeze bottles, allowing eaters to control application. No alcohol is served on premises.

How Memo's Compares to Other Chattanooga Barbecue

Chattanooga has several barbecue anchors, each with distinct style. Sticky Fingers, located downtown, offers larger dining rooms, table service, and Carolina-influenced barbecue with heavier sauce integration and a broader menu that includes seafood and non-barbecue entrées. Prices there run higher, typically $18 to $28 for entrees. Old Hickory Pit Bar-B-Que in East Brainerd operates as a traditional sit-down establishment with a full bar and more formal service structure, and leans toward Texas-style brisket prominence. Memo's occupies the faster, less pretentious middle ground: faster than Sticky Fingers, leaner and more focused than Old Hickory, and closer to pure Memphis barbecue tradition than either. It appeals to people who want smoked meat without negotiating a large menu or waiting for table service, and it carries lower overhead costs reflected in the pricing.

Who Suits Memo's and Who Does Not

Memo's works best for lunch runs, takeout orders, and people comfortable eating at basic tables or in cars. It suits barbecue purists who prefer the meat unadorned and Memphis-style dry rubs over heavy sauce. Families with young children can manage the counter format, though the lack of high chairs or changing tables means very small infants require planning. It does not suit groups seeking a celebration atmosphere, private dining space, or full-service drink service. Those seeking smoked seafood, non-barbecue sides, or regional fusion barbecue should look elsewhere.

What the First Visit Involves

Walk in, read the board listing what is available that day (ribs, pork, chicken, brisket availability varies), decide on meat and quantity, select two or three sides from the display, and pay at the register. Your order comes on a tray with napkins and plastic utensils. Sauce is available tableside. The entire transaction typically takes 10 minutes. Parking is street parking or the adjacent lot; confirm current lot status before arriving.

Hours, Location, and Logistics

Memo's operates Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours shift seasonally; confirm before a weekday visit outside that window. The space closes Sundays and Mondays. Arrive before 1 p.m. or after 6:30 p.m. to avoid the lunch and dinner rushes. No reservations are taken. Payment is cash and card. The kitchen does not maintain a published phone line for call-ahead orders, so walk-in timing matters.

Memo's delivers straightforward barbecue without markup or distraction. For Chattanooga eaters wanting Memphis-style smoked ribs and pulled pork at below-average Chattanooga barbecue pricing, it remains the clearest choice.