There is a tiny BBQ shack in Tennessee that looks like it has survived about fifty years of smoke, storms, and hungry locals.
The paint is worn and if you drove past too fast, you might wonder if the place is even open.
Hickory smoke drifts through the air and cars keep pulling into the small parking lot.
And people walk out carrying foam containers that smell like pure barbecue magic.
Inside this humble little spot, meat smokes low and slow for hours until it is tender, smoky, and dripping with sauce.
Locals have been lining up here for decades, and barbecue fans from all over the country make special trips just to try it.
The building might look like it is barely standing but the barbecue coming out of this smoker is legendary.
Where Is It?
Cozy Corner Restaurant sits at 735 North Parkway in Memphis, Tennessee, just 5 minutes from downtown.
You’re only a few minutes from Beale Street and the Mississippi River Park, so it’s an easy stop if you’re already exploring downtown Memphis.
Driving in from other Tennessee cities is pretty simple too.
It’s about 3 hours and 10 minutes from Nashville and roughly 1 hour and 25 minutes from Jackson, Tennessee.
If you’re coming from nearby states, Little Rock, Arkansas is about a 2 hour drive straight across I-40.
About
Cozy Corner Restaurant is one of those places in Memphis that looks so worn down you might wonder if it’s still open.
Then you notice the smoke rolling out back, the smell of hickory in the air, and a line of hungry people waiting.
That’s when you know you’ve found the right spot.
Cozy Corner first opened in 1977 when Desiree Robinson and her husband Raymond Robinson fired up his smoker in this tiny North Parkway building.
The place is still family run today, and it has become one of the most talked about barbecue joints in Memphis.
Memphis is famous for slow smoked pork ribs, but Cozy Corner built its reputation on something you don’t see everywhere.
Barbecue Cornish hens.
These little chickens get coated in Robinson’s spice blend, smoked low and slow over hickory wood, and finished with a thick, tangy Memphis style sauce.
The result is smoky, juicy, and slightly sticky with sauce.
Order one and it usually arrives whole, with tender, juicy meat.
Another must try here is the rib tips.
Instead of full racks, Cozy Corner serves these meaty little chunks that come from the ends of pork ribs.
They’re smoky, chewy, messy, and packed with flavor.
You’ll usually get a big pile of them in a foam container with white bread to soak up the sauce.
The menu is simple but legendary among Memphis barbecue fans.
You’ll see items like pork ribs, smoked bologna sandwiches, barbecue plates, and huge chopped pork sandwiches piled high with meat.
The smoked bologna deserves a special shout out.
A thick slice hits the smoker until the edges curl and the outside gets dark and smoky.
It lands on a bun with sauce and slaw and somehow turns a simple deli meat into one of the best sandwiches in Memphis.
The building itself looks like it has been through a few decades of hard barbecue duty.
The outside paint is faded and the inside features a simple ordering counter and a few basic tables inside.
Memphis barbecue fans will all tell you the same thing.
If a BBQ shack looks like it has been standing there since the 1970s and smells like smoke before you even park the car, you’re probably about to eat very well.
Expect a casual experience when you visit.
You walk up, order at the counter, and wait while the kitchen loads up your tray or takeout box.
The smell of smoked meat fills the room while you wait.
Within a few minutes you’ll be sitting down with sauce on your fingers, a stack of napkins, and some of the best barbecue in Memphis.
Know Before You Go
Cozy Corner Restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
They often sell out of popular items before closing time, especially rib tips and Cornish hens.
Showing up earlier in the day gives you the best shot at getting the full menu.
Prices are refreshingly reasonable for a legendary BBQ spot.
Most sandwiches land around $4.55 to $7.75, while barbecue plates with sides usually range from $7.99 to $28.50 depending on what you order.
The famous barbecue Cornish hen typically costs around $12.25.
Expect a simple, no frills experience.
This is a small neighborhood barbecue joint with limited seating.
Many people grab their food to go, especially during busy lunch hours.
Parking is easy as there is a small lot right outside the restaurant along North Parkway and street parking nearby if the lot fills up.
Bring your appetite and plenty of napkins.
The sauce here is thick, smoky, and a little sweet, and it has a way of ending up everywhere while you eat.
There is plenty to explore nearby if you want to turn your BBQ stop into a full Memphis outing.
Beale Street is less than 10 minutes away by car.
This famous stretch of downtown is packed with live blues clubs and neon lights that have been drawing music fans for more than a century.
The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel sits about 10 minutes away.
This powerful museum covers over 400 years of civil rights history and stands at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid is less than a 10-minute drive away.
This massive glass pyramid near the Mississippi River stands 321 feet tall and contains an indoor swamp, an observation deck and one of the largest outdoor stores in the country.
Mud Island River Park is about 5 minutes away and offers one of the best views of the Mississippi River in Memphis.
The park also features a 2,000-foot scale model of the lower Mississippi River that you can walk alongside.
Grab a Cornish hen or a pile of rib tips first, then spend the rest of the afternoon exploring downtown Memphis with the smell of hickory smoke still clinging to your shirt.
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