17th Street Grill: Home of BBQ Champ Mike Mills

mike mills 17th street bbq

17th Street Grill:  Home of BBQ Champ Mike Mills

When we stumbled upon the 17th Street Grill in Marion, IL we had no idea of Mike Mills’ status as a legendary BBQ cook. We were just looking for a good bite to eat close to our hotel.  When we walked in the door, we were greeting by walls of his accolades and mentions in nationally-known publications from Food & Wine to Vogue.  This guy knows his stuff (check out all of Mike Mills’ credentials)!

Like with most southern BBQ restaurants, the sides don’t play second fiddle.  My husband liked the beans (not the canned stuff) and the kids liked the Macaroni and Cheese.

For lighter appetites like my own, I’d highly recommend the ribs sampler.  They were a delicious way to taste what Mike Mills is known for, and the onions served with them were delicious too.

17th Street Grill
2700 17th Street
Marion, IL 62959

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mike mills 17th street bbq

mike mills bbq 17th street

Tom’s BBQ: The Best Ribs in Memphis

tom's bbq memphis

When we’re on a road trip, one of our Foodie Road Trip Rules is to NEVER eat at chain restaurants.  Another one of our self-imposed rules is to try a new Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives location when we’re on the road.  When we were in Memphis, we stopped in at Tom’s BBQ.   Not only was Tom’s featured on the show, Guy Fieri mentioned their famous rib tips again in his Best Thing I Ever Ate special.

Tom’s is located in an industrial area near the airport and isn’t fancy by any stretch of the imagination.  When you pull up, you notice the AC units and steel bars on the windows.  Walk past that and the seating looks like your Southern Granny’s front porch (that is, if Granny lived in the ghetto).   The staff is welcoming and friendly.

The seasoning blends at Tom’s are complex and unique, leaning heavy on the oregano and cumin.   Their seasoning, smoking, and grilling process has been well-honed over thirty years.  Tom’s isn’t messing around. We actually liked the ribs better than the rib tips as they were meatier and more tender, but everything was good.  The sides were delicious and rried bologna has never tasted so upscale.  What really sealed the deal was that the host, Adam, brought us an extra basket goodies to sample.  I notice and appreciate that kind of hospitality, and I believe it’s one reason why restaurants like Tom’s BBQ in Memphis gain such a loyal following.  It’s worth the detour off the interstate to enjoy some of the best ribs in Memphis.

Tom’s BBQ Memphis

http://www.tomsbarbq.com/
4087 New Getwell Rd
Memphis, TN 38118
901-365-6690


tom's bbq memphis

tom's bbq memphis

tom's bbq memphis

toms bbq memphis

tom's bbq memphis

tom's bbq memphis