Germantown Commissary - Germantown, TN

Posted By Michael Stern on September 13, 2002 3:57 AM

Here’s well-made downhome food, served in decorator-rustic surroundings in an upscale neighborhood. The Germantown Commissary has barnboard walls choc-a-block with old tin signs, wind-up telephones and vintage advertisements. Many of its tables wobble as much as those in a juke joint and the air has the unmistakably seductive aroma of a working smoke pit.

It is best known for ribs, which truly are first-rate: crusted with sauce, scented by hickory, meaty as hell with enough chew to provide maximum flavor. You can order them by number of bones, from five to twelve (a full rack), or as part of a half-and-half plate with another barbecued meat. We suggest the latter, because it would be a crime to come to the Commissary and NOT have pulled pork. It is shoulder meat, pulled into slightly-more-than-bite-size strips and hunks, some edges crusty, some parts velvet-soft. You can also get the meat chopped, which is OK, but deprives your tongue of the pleasure of worrying those long strips of meat you get when it’s pulled.

For dessert, there are smokehouse classics: banana pudding with softened vanilla wafers in the custard, and tongue-soothing lemon ice box pie.

Overall Rating

ribs

pulled pork

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Posted By Paul Celli on June 6, 2011 10:16 PM

I had heard tales of such a place. "So good, you'll slap your mama," and they aren't lying. A full slab rib dinner hangs off both ends of the plate. Coleslaw, roll, beans, and a deviled egg top it off. Add sweet tea and you'd better loosen your belt and unbutton the top button. You will have to hire somebody to carry you out. It is so good you can't stop. Then you see the coconut cream pie...

Overall Rating

ribs

Coconut Cream Pie

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Posted By Gina Lannin on February 18, 2010 3:16 PM

"The ribs at Germantown Commissary are the best ribs I have ever eaten!" said my husband after our first of three meals at Germantown Commissary during our stay in the Memphis area. We continued our search for the perfect ribs, but nowhere else came close.

The homemade ranch dressing in the BBQ salad is AMAZING and the coconut pie is like a Mounds bar in a crust - DELICIOUS! The pulled pork tasted good but was a bit dry for my taste. The spicy BBQ sauce made everything that much better and the baked beans were like no other we have had - again, delicious. A rack of ribs for two plus a BBQ salad fed our family of four AND we still had leftovers.

It would be worth designing a day around - Germantown is a cute town with lots of shopping. Enjoy!

Overall Rating

ribs

pulled pork

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