Yesterday we went to the BB King museum in Indianola, MS, and were so inspired by what we read that we canceled the plans we made for the next two days in favor of going to Memphis instead. We spent two days there and drank in all the music and local culture time would allow, even skipping one of the included breakfasts one day.
Where we slept:
Residence Inn Memphis Downtown: Close to Beale Street, but not too close. We were pleased to get an upgrade to a 2br unit. The only bummer is the noise of the trolley car. The rooftop bar wasn’t open yet, but you could still go up and watch the sun set over the river. The evening reception was nice as was breakfast. The rooms are definitely dated.
Where we ate/drank:
Blues City Cafe: The only reason we didn’t give this restaurant a below average rating is because the combo plate was huge. My Lou and I split it and didn’t leave hungry. It’s too bad the bartender had to wait tables because everyone in her section waited too long for everything.
B.B. King’s Blues Club: We stopped in here right after lunch at the Blues City Cafe. It was too early for the evening act to begin. We thought we’d come back later that night or the next, but went elsewhere because they were charging a cover and there was great music to be had too many other places for free. Plus, the drinks were more expensive here than anywhere else on Beale Street.
Blue Plate Cafe – Downtown: We missed the hotel breakfast because we got up late after a night on Beale Street. This place was highly rated and an easy walk from our hotel. The biscuits are devine!! If I hadn’t already ordered my breakfast I would have gotten a double batch of them. The food was what you’d expect from a diner that specializes in breakfast and lunch. My only disappointment is that they ran out of black beans for my huevos.
Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar: Everything was perfect. We couldn’t have asked for a better dining experience. We finally found a restaurant where you can try a variety of options for the price of one. Thank goodness we don’t live here or we’d be taking out a second mortgage to fund weekly dinners.
What we did:
Blues City Cafe Concert Venue (no cover): We had no problem getting a seat at the bar. We listened to the Brandon Cunning Band before moving on. They covered quite a few Elvis and rock-a-billy artists.
Rum Boogie Cafe (no cover): The first night the band was so-so, and the crowd reflected it. The second night we almost didn’t go in because they were charging a cover fee. Why pay when there are better options for free? As the night progressed and the band in the other bar we picked took a break, we found that this bar stopped charging the cover so went in. The band was great. They were playing a range of genres and eras and we ended up dancing until quitting time.
Blues Hall Juke Joint (no cover): This was a little hole in a wall connected by an inside door to teh Rum Boogie Cafe. We listened to music here both nights. The first night was The Sensation Band, and they were sensational. They played mostly blues, but some pop oldies, too. Very danceable. Plus, they took only one short break because they rotated musicians so that each of them could take short breaks before the mid-point. The second night we listened to the McDaniels Band, who weren’t as good as the first band and they took super long breaks. Almost better than the music, but not quite, were the bartenders both nights. They managed to serve everybody in that bar single-handedly. On neither night did they have staff on the floor. It was just them. While it wasn’t always with a smile, they got the job done.
King Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar & Grill (no cover): We closed down the Juke Joint and were hungry for more music. We liked what we heard from the outside of the musician playing inside, so we went on in. We sat at a table towards the back next to a guy who said he was the musician’s brother and that he could play anything. He pretty much could, but he was best at country music. The ladies’ bathroom was nasty. Someone had vomited in one of the stalls AND one of the sinks.
Tin Roof (no cover): The service was crap and the band took ridiculously long breaks. The female lead kept looking over at the male lead and talking to him in between her parts. She had a good voice, but her actions made it feel like we were watching a bad rehearsal.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music: This was worth getting the car out of valet. This was at the top of our list to see in Memphis. It was very well done and organized. The dance floor in the Soul Train exhibit was too hard to resist. So we didn’t.
National Civil Rights Museum: The content was good and well laid out. Some of the exhibits were narrow and created pinch points, especially where you enter into rooms 306 and 307. Perhaps that was intentional.
