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Memphis Dive Bar Adventures

Memphis Dive Bars: A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Guide to Drinking in Memphis

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

The Memphis dive bar scene is legendary, but not many people know that. We went out every night, and something zany or insane happened every night.

Summary graphic: A man warming up on his saxophone stands in silhouette between two cars in front of a bar. Above is a hand-painted sign announcing that this bar is WILD BILL’S.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Wild Bill’s, The Last Real Place in Memphis

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis, Music

The night was far younger than we realized. Someone invited us to have a drink at Wild Bill’s, which a local would later call “the last real place in Memphis.”

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Bar-B-Brawl at the Bar That Never Closes

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis, Memphis BBQ

It was about 3 a.m. and time to eat dinner again. Even before leaving the Northeast, we’d labeled the ribs at Alex’s Tavern one holy grail of our Memphis quest.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Down by Sundown

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

The P&H, or Poor & Hungry, Cafe looks both poor and hungry. The whole building looks like it would be the first thing to blow away in a tornado.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Perfect Ribs at 3 a.m.

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis, Memphis BBQ

The Ribs. Succulent, platonically moist, fall-aparty, infused with Memphis-style charcoal smoke, served with a dusting of finishing-spice and a side of sweet house sauce. In other words, perfection.

Summary graphic: A restored white Mustang sits in a halogen-lit parking lot, primed for whatever the night will bring.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Ghost Mustang & The Magic Skillet

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

Maybe it was the way she said patty, but the patty melt won. We asked if she could cut ours into thirds. She smiled. I wondered how long she’d worked there and been forced to listen to stupid shit like this.

Summary graphic: Memphis's Madison Avenue, as seen through the windshield of the Ghost Mustang

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Snake Tattoo Face

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

The only guy not wearing a hoodie was bald, and his entire face and scalp were tattooed with coiling black snakes.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Cougar in Training

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

She looked at me with big, childlike eyes and made a pouty face. I could tell she was about to say…. something.

Memphis Dive Bar Adventures: Searching for Life on the Mississippi

2014-06-18
On: 06/18/2014
In: Memphis

We really wanted to work the river into our weeklong stay, but that would prove more difficult than we imagined. As usual, day drinking solved the problem.

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