Memphis & Houston

Hi all, a short-time lurker and new poster. I will be heading to watch my Butler Bulldogs in the Final Four this weekend and will be in Memphis on Thursday and in the Houston area until Tuesday. Not worried about locations as we have wheels and will drive for good food.
Obviously in Memphis it's got to be BBQ, so anything downtown or nearby would be helpful.
 
In Houston we'll be looking for authentic Mexican and seafood so any recommendations of those would be appreciated as well.
 
Thanks in advance,
Art

Art,
 
There are plenty of recent threads on Memphis in the  Trip Reports.  You can't go wrong on that.  Just looking at the picks will make you drool.
 
As far as Houston goes.  The Free Press Weekly there used to have excellent reviews and covered the bases fairly well.  Writers may be different now.
I've heard of a couple of new Mexican spots to try out.  One is Chispas Del Tiempo on Airline Drive in the Heights area off the 45 North.  Good plates.  They close at 9PM.
The other is El Real on lower Westhiemer in the old Tower Theater.  Sounds like a fun palce, old movies being shown etc.
 
Also hearing to stay away from Blue Fish in the Bayou Place downtown.  Not good quality seafood and prices are high.
 
Hopefully some locals will chime in for you.  Have a good time and Good luck in the Tourney.

Where are you staying in Memphis.  Most of the good BBQ joints are not located downtown and most people want to stay downtown.  The Rendezvous if the best BBQ downtown.   Here are the top choices.

A & R Bar B Que @ 1802 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN. 901 - 774 - 7444.
http://www.aandrbbq.com/
BBQ Shop @ 1782 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN. 901 - 272 - 1277.
http://www.dancingpigs.com/
Central BBQ @ 2249 Central Ave., Memphis, TN. 901 - 272 - 9377.
Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous @ 52 S. Second St., Memphis, TN. 901 - 523 - 2746.
http://www.hogsfly.com/
Cozy Corner @ 745 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN. 901 - 527 - 9158.
http://www.cozycornerbbq.com/
Interstate BBQ @ 2265 S. Third St., Memphis, TN. 901 - 775 - 2304.
http://www.interstatebarbecue.com/
Neely's BBQ @ 670 Jefferson St., Memphis, TN. 901 - 521 - 9798.
http://www.neelysbbq.com/
One and Only BBQ @ 1779 Kirby Pkwy., Memphis, TN 901 - 751 - 3615.
http://www.oneandonlybbq.com/
Paynes BBQ @ 1762 Lamar Ave., Memphis, TN. 901 - 272 - 1523.

The BBQ Shop and One and Only are my favorites but Payne's is famous for their pulled pork sandwich

I know you want to visit Memphis for some BBQ and sightseeing. Walk around Beale St. and visit the joints. Go in B B King's and Dyer's Burgers. Walk around inside The Peabody Hotel for a drink maybe and then The Rendevous for some BBQ across the street from The PB. There are some nice restaurants in the area including Felicia Suzanne's for fine dining at dinner, McEwen's for fine dining, Restaurant Iris for fine dining at dinner only, Automatic Slims for drinks and bar food, Gus' World Famous Fried Chicken and South of Beale for good bar dining.

Felicia Suzzane's @ 80 Monroe Ave., Memphis, TN 901 - 523 - 0877.
http://www.feliciasuzanne.com/
McEwen's on Monroe @ 122 Monroe Ave., Memphis, TN 901 - 527 - 7085.
http://www.mcewensonmonroe.com/
Restaurant Iris @ 2146 Monroe Ave., Memphis, TN 901 - 590 - 2828.
http://www.restaurantiris.com/
Automatic Slim's @ 83 South 2nd St., Memphis, TN 901 - 525 - 7948.
http://www.automaticslimsmemphis.com/
Gus' World Famous Fried Chicken @ 310 South Front St., Memphis, TN 901 - 527 - 4877.
South of Beale @ 361 South Main St., Memphis, TN 901 - 526 - 0388.
http://www.southofbeale.com/

Here's a few joints to stop and rest on your way to Houston from Memphis.
For outstanding BBQ stop at Roadside BBQ @ Exit 271 off I 40 In W Memphis, AR. Get off I 40 at Exit 241A/B and go N to Colt, AR on Highway 1. Take a left on Highway 306 and go to Greg and Jim's for good BBQ. Get off I40 at Exit 241A/B and go S on North Washington Street in Forrest City, AR to The Ole Sawmill Cafe. It's open for breakfast, lunch or dinner and serves outstanding country food. Get off on the S side of I40 on N Washington and go about 2 blocks to Ole Sawmill Cafe on your right. Craig's BBQ in Devall's Bluff, AR is outstanding. Get off I 40 at Exit 183 at Carlisle, AR on Highway 13 and go S to Nick's BBQ in Carlisle, AR. Get off I 40 at Exit 175 at Lonoke, AR and go S on Highway 31 to E 8th Street and go to Pruett's for good BBQ.
I would not stop in Little Rock, AR unless you just want to. If you need to stop get off I 30 at Exit 133 and go N on Geyser Springs Road to Sim's for good BBQ. At Exit 116 at Benton, AR you will find outstanding road food at Ed & Kay's Restaurant on the N side of I30 for lunch and dinner. On up the road at Arkadelphia, AR you will find good hamburger's at Hamburger Barn or good country food for breakfast or lunch at The Honeycomb Restaurant at Exit 73.
If you want real family country food then get off I30 at Exit 222 in Texarkana, TX and go to Bryce's Cafeteria for the best home cooked food in America. It's just off I30 at Exit 222 and very convenient.
One of my favorite road stops is Ramage Farms Country Store at Exit 208 for good road food. The restaurant is an old building just off the N side of I30 and has all sorts of food stuff to purchase to take home. They serve outstanding BBQ, sandwiches, combo plates and steaks. Stop by if just to rest and get a cold drink. It's worth the effort to visit the old store. Stop at Nana's Diner in New Boston, TX. Get off I30 at Exit 201 on N Center St. and get a good country meal at Nana's which is right off I30. Get Off I30 at Exit 127 on Shannon Road in Sulphur Springs, TX and go to Burton's Family Restaurant for great road food at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is a typical diner and nothing is fancy about it but the food which is not expensive. It's next to the Best Western and convenient for quick access to I30.
Roadside BBQ @ 196 Arkansas 147, West Memphis, AR 870 - 733 - 9208.
Greg & Jim's Grocery & BBQ @ Hwy 306, Colt, AR. 870 - 633 - 0541.
The Ole Sawmill Cafe @ 2299 N. Washington St., Forrest City, AR 870 - 630 - 2299.
http://olesawmillcafe.com/
Craig's BBQ @ Rt. 70, Devalls Bluff, AR. 501 - 998 - 2616.
Nick's Bar B Que @ Hwy. 13 N., Carlisle, AR. 870 - 552 - 3887.
http://www.nicksbq.com/
Pruett's Bar B Que @ 108 E. 8th St., Lonoke, AR. 501 - 676 - 2622.
Sims BBQ @ 7601 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, AR 501 - 562 - 8844.
Ed and Kay's Restaurant @ 15228 Interstate 30 N., Benton, AR 501 - 315 - 3663.
Hamburger Barn @ 2813 Pine Street, Arkadelphia, AR 870 - 246 - 5556.
The Honeycomb Restaurant @ 710 Main Street, Arkadelphia, AR 870 - 245 - 2333.
http://www.honeycombrestaurant.com/
Bryce's Cafeteria @ 2021 Mall Dr., Texarkana, TX 903 - 792 - 1611.
http://www.brycescafeteria.com/
Ramage Farms Country Store @ 901 Main St., Hooks, TX 903 - 547 - 6187.
http://www.ramagefarms.com/
Nana's Family Diner @ 1026 North Center St/, New Boston, TX 903 - 628 - 0700.
Burton's Family Restaurant @ 1505 Shannon Rd E, Sulphur Springs, TX 903 - 885 - 5976.
http://www.burtonsfamilyrestaurant.com/
 

Yes we are staying downtown, a buddy of mine did recommend Rendezvous for that area. We do have wheels but limited time in Memphis, really only Thursday late evening and we're leaving around lunch time on Friday. We'll be spending Saturday at the games but have all day Sunday to explore so that should give us enough to go by.
 
Thanks all for the lists, that should give me start!