Eat, Drink, Boogie; Repeat, Eat, Drink, Boogie
Written: Oct 20 '04 (Updated Oct 28 '04)
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Pros: Good food in an entertaining environment; nice staff.
Cons: You will wait in line on weekends; $5.00 cover charge.
The Bottom Line: This is a fun place for food and entertainment. I would go back to Rum Boogie Cafe if I were in Memphis again.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Rum Boogie Cafe |
We spent a few days in Memphis, Tennessee in early June 2004. On a Friday night we met friends at Rum Boogie Café.
General Information:
Rum Boogie Café is located at 162 Beale Street, which is a well-known and busy street for eating, drinking and listening to music in Memphis. They can be reached at 901-528-0150. They are open from 11:00AM to 2:00AM every day. The do not accept checks but do take all major credit cards.
Parking in the Beale Street area is not easy but since we met on the early side (6:30) we were able to get a parking space a couple of blocks away. There are lots as well if you really get stuck. At such an early hour we did not have to wait but as the evening gets later, according to our friends who come here a lot, you will wait in line. You will be waiting in line not just to eat but to hear the music. They do not take reservations.
Rum Boogie Café is a casual restaurant. It is roomy but stuffed with memorabilia. You will see music items such as the original STAX sign that was on the STAX recording studio; the cape Isaac Hayes wore when he won his academy award for "Theme from Shaft"; the mirror from Charlie Rich’s Steinway piano; and autographed guitars from Carl Perkins, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Aerosmith and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top (just to name a few). You’ll see the "money wall" where people from all over the world have made a wish by putting a bill from their country on the wall. Rum Boogie Café is a happening!
The service and food:
I have in my notes that the waitress was “so nice” and she was. She chatted with us especially because we were from the north. In spite of her being a bit busy she didn’t rush us to order. We actually had never met these friends so we had intended to spend a bit of time there and that was fine with the waitress. There was live music although the performance doesn’t start until 9:30. This is when an actual show begins and when it becomes difficult, especially on a weekend to get in.
For starters they have specialty rum drinks, draft beer pints, domestic and imported beer and wine.
I was told I had to have “barbecue” when in the south, which means ribs. Since I don’t eat ribs I got the next best thing and that was the BBQ Chicken Breast Dinner. This came with BBQ beans (which I didn’t get because it contains meat), Cole Slaw (I got a double portion to make up for the beans.) and baked bread for $12.95. It was so good. I can’t quite ever remember eating barbecued chicken that was so tasty. The sauce was just right. It wasn't spicy but it was really tasty. The chicken breasts were a good size and I think I got my money’s worth.
My husband got the Fried Catfish Dinner (What he always got in the south when available.) This was breaded and served with fries and hushpuppies for $12.95. He enjoyed it and said it was cooked just right. It was a good-sized portion. I didn’t taste it so we we'll have to take his word for it.
Rum Boogie Café is famous for its Red Beans and Rice, which is what our friend gets every time he comes here. You can get a ˝ order for $8.50 or a full order for $10.50. He got the full order and it was huge. It is served with fresh baked bread. You can add a salad to any of the dinners for $2.75. Karen got the Ribs Platter. You can get ˝ slab for $14.95 or a full slab for $19.95. This is served with BBQ Beans, Cole Slaw and bread. The ribs looked good to me even when Karen was licking her fingers!
Other food:
Rum Boogie Café has a fairly small but eclectic menu. You can choose from 16 appetizers! Choose Gator Gumbo, which made the café Rajun Cajun Gumbo Cook-off Champions for the last two years. You can get a cup for $4.75 or a bowl for $6.75 or choose the Fried Green Tomatoes served with their horseradish sauce for $6.95. You can also get a cup ($4.25) or bowl ($6.25) of their famous red beans and rice or go with the fried pickles for $6.50. You can have one of their 7 salads in the $6.00-$7.00 range; various sandwiches including BBQ chicken ($7.25) or a Boogie Burger ($6.75). These are served with French fries.
You might want to try the Southern Feast for two. This will cost you $32.95 and included a full slab of ribs, two catfish filets, two cups of red beans and rice; two cups of Gator Gumbo, fries and “slaw.”
They have 5 desserts from which to choose including key lime pie, pecan pie and nutty fudge brownie. All the desserts are $4.25.
Other information:
We were ready to leave at around 9:00 so the waitress was nice enough to stamp our hands so we wouldn’t have to wait in line or pay a cover charge of $5.00.
Like many of the restaurants on Beale Street, Rum Boogie Café has a large wraparound window. If you are eating you can watch the happenings outside; if you aren’t you can watch the happenings inside! Some have openings with no window but Rum Boogie Café does have a window. Unless the door is open it will be hard to hear the music over the music coming from the “open air” bars.
The house act is James Govan and the Boogie Blues Band. They perform when there isn't a visiting performer. Shows usually go on from 9:00PM or 9:30PM-1:00AM on Friday and Saturday, and from 8:30PM-12:30AM Sundays and weeknights.
Jo’s Final Thoughts:
We ate in several restaurants while in Memphis. I haven’t reviewed the others but I don’t think I’ll be recommending them. I am definitely recommending Rum Boogie Café. You can spend hours looking at the memorabilia, an hour or so eating a meal or a few hours listening to the performer of the night. I thought the restaurant was clean and the staff friendly. It’s a great place to go with friends.
I wouldn’t call this a family restaurant and certainly not a vegetarian one.
Please feel free to leave me a question or comment.
I am keeping track of the reviews I am writing chronicling our 3-month cross country trip:
Applebee's in Ohio
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Bella Notte This is a restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky
Buckstaff Bathhouse in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas
Bicentennial Mall State Park in Nashville, TN
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN
Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN
National Civil Right Museum in Memphis, TN
Graceland in Memphis, TN
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma
Souper Salad in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Taste of Thai a San Diego restaurant
Handlery Hotel in San Diego, CA
Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles, CA
Kan Zam restaurant in San Francisco, CA
Polker’s Gourmet Burgers in San Francisco
Holiday Inn Express in San Francisco, CA
Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma, CA
Antelope Island State Park in Salt Lake City, Utah
Montreal Holcaust Museum
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Get something with the BBQ sauce or the Red Beans and Rice.
Best Suited For: Friends
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