I have had way too much free time at work today...

Here is some info on Memphis restaurants, nightlife, etc. Please verify the hours of all of the places listed. I am pretty sure they are all open on Sunday evenings, but things change.

Memphis general info:
http://www.memphistravel.com/
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/
http://www.memphismojo.com/
http://www.livefrommemphis.com/

Downtown Area

Hotel and Parking – The places recommended by MTTS are all nice. In addition, the Court Square Sleep Inn, Doubletree Downtown Memphis, and the Hampton Inn and Suites @ Beale Street are very nice. If you want to splurge, you can always go to the Peabody.

Parking – The Madison does not have a parking garage. They do offer valet parking. Most street parking will be metered and there is some located near the Madison. There are a lot of apartments in the vicinity so these spaces are limited. Metered parking is free on the weekends.

The Marriott, Springhill Suites, and the Comfort Inn have parking on-site.

On this website, you can search for parking lots and garages (about mid way down the page on the left)
http://www.downtownmemphis.com/domain/gettingaround/gettingaround_parking.asp

Transportation – Memphis public transit sucks. Unfortunately, the Downtown trolleys only run until 6:30 pm on Sundays. Beale Street and most of the downtown restaurants below are within walking distance of pretty much all of the hotels. It is pretty safe, but have some common sense. Stay aware of your surroundings and don’t take any alleys as shortcuts. That is where most of the relatively few muggings in the last few months have happened. Memphis Police have recently beefed up walking and bike patrols and you will most likely pass a few officers wherever you go. Really, there is nothing to be afraid of if you are smart.

Also, be aware that there have been some purse snatchings in some of the clubs. Apparently, a well dressed man will sit nearby and make friendly conversation. He waits around until his victims feel comfortable enough to ask him to watch their purses while they go to the restroom, dance, etc. Needless to say, their purses are gone when they get back. I would hope MINI drivers are smarter than these women so this is just an FYI that apparently we have well dressed thugs.

I would suggest a cab if you do not want to walk. By the time you leave your hotel, pay for parking a block or so away from Beale, and then have to pay for parking again at your hotel, you will probably come out cheaper with a cab.

Restaurants
Big Foot Lodge http://www.bigfootlodge.net/ (great food and pretty inexpensive)
Dan McGuiness http://www.danmcguinnesspub.com/peabody/
Café 61
Automatic Slims
Huey’s http://www.hueys.cc/company.asp
Interstate BBQ http://www.jimneelysinterstatebarbecue.com/history.html (a little past downtown…you will need to drive to this one!)
Neely’s BBQ http://www.neelysbbq.com/locations.htm
The Arcade http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=51 (Great breakfast!!)
The Butcher Shop http://www.thebutchershop.com/index.html
Encore http://www.encore-memphis.com/Home.html

Nightclubs/Bars
Flying Saucer http://www.beerknurd.com/stores.php

Beale Street – Memphis music tends to get started fairly late…you may want to call ahead to see what time any bands start.
BB Kings http://memphis.bbkingclubs.com/
Rum Boogiehttp://www.rumboogie.com/home.htm
Silky’s http://www.silkyosullivans.com/ (beware of the Diver!)
Blues City Café http://www.bluescitycafe.com/ (music and good food)

Shops
Tater Red’s http://www.taterredsluckymojos.com/taterred/

Midtown Area

Restaurants
Central BBQ http://www.centralbbq.net/
Celtic Crossing http://www.celticcrossingmemphis.com/
Bosco’s http://www.boscosbeer.com/memphis/story/index.htm
Barksdales http://www.memphismenusonline.com/bobs_barksdale.html
Buns on the Run http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1258
Soul Fish http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A14066

Nightclubs/Bars
Hi Tone http://www.hitonememphis.com/index.htm
Young Avenue Deli http://www.youngavenuedeli.com/index.asp (good food too!)
Dish http://www.myspace.com/dishmemphis (Full restaurant until 10pm, tapas until 1am and it will be 80’s night)
Blue Monkey
Wild Bill’s – If you are feeling adventurous and want a down home, family style juke joint serving 40oz beers and soul food, this is your place. It isn’t in the best part of town, not horribly bad, but don’t let it scare you. You will probably run into at least a few foreign tourists wielding cameras. 1580 Vollentine Ave.



One last suggestion – Casey Jones in Jackson, TN serves a wonderful breakfast buffet. It is at Exit 80A, just off to the right.
http://www.caseyjones.com/pages/Buffet_Menu.htm

 

 

While in Memphis (and if you can do without the obligatory visit to Graceland), it'd be highly worth your time to visit:

The National Civil Rights Museum (built at the Lorraine Motel, the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968)

[SIZE=2] National Civil Rights Museum
450 Mulberry Street
Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 521-9699
[/SIZE]http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located at the original site of Stax Records (Studio and Label for Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes,The Staple Singers. Rufus and Carla Thomas. Booker T & the MG's. Johnnie Taylor. Wilson Pickett. Luther Ingram. The Dramatics, Eddie Floyd and Jean Knight.)

STAX Museum of American Soul Music
926 E. McLemore Ave., Memphis, TN 38106
Phone: 901.942.SOUL (7685)
http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/

 

One more recommendation:

Although Roadshow MINI is reportedly delivering Chik-Fil-A biscuit sandwiches for breakfast for all at the Pyramid waiting to depart for Nashville on Tuesday, if you want some good coffee and something more substantial to eat, only a few blocks away from the official departure point in downtown Memphis is Cafe Francisco, 400 North Main Street, 901-578-8002. Great coffee, good breakfast choices and reasonably priced. Oh, and I think the WI-FI is free.

 

I would like to add...

Be carefull going on the I-40/I-55 split. There is MAJOR construction on the I-40/I-240 side, not far from the Tennessee/Arkansas bridge. Two lanes that should be 5, lots of bottlenecking, etc. I have family in Memphis & Arkansas, and I almost got creamed by a semi coming through there last month.

I'm bummed I couldn't go, and be on this leg :( Watch out going through there!

 

Good word of warning and I second heeding that advice - seems like they've been doing sloppy construction work in that area (one of the busiest highway intersections in the nation - travelers and semis meeting up from all four corners) since I was born, which was a long time ago.

Also, I-40/I-55 split (they're together for just a short distance as they meet up east/west - north/south) is a bit tricky at the split b/c both go into Memphis - just follow I-40 east. If you accidentally get on I-55 into Memphis (I've done it several times not paying attention), no worries -you'll end up a bit south of downtown in a commonly thought to be not-so-great neighborhood near the National Civil Rights Museum - just head north at the first opportunity (First St.?) and you'll quickly be back downtown.