The Retro Memphis Burger Restaurant That Uses 100-Year-Old Grease

Memphis is a foodie paradise — it's renowned for its distinctive style among the many American barbecue regions, with its flavorful spice rubs and tomato-based sauce, and Memphis is even Alton Brown's favorite city for eats in the USA. But while the culinary emphasis in the home of the blues and soul is traditionally on ribs and pulled pork, a retro restaurant that has been around for over 100 years has become a cornerstone in the Memphis community, and it's doing it by serving up burgers cooked in grease that has been around as long as the doors have been open. Dyer's Burgers, on Beale Street, has been famously serving its customers since 1912 (that was the year the Titanic sank, for a little historical perspective), and it's been doing so with history soaked right into the beef patties.

Sure, 100-year-old grease might not sound like the most appetizing thing to nosh, but never fear, it's actually more of a myth than anything – the oil does get strained every single night. That doesn't mean, though, that there aren't at least particles of that OG grease hanging out in the massive, purpose-made skillets where the beef patties get submerged, so there's just enough for Dyer's to make good on its claim to fame. And really, the burgers are so good, you won't care what they're cooked in.

Hamburgers just taste better at restaurants, and the grease-bathed burgers are obviously a huge draw at Dyer's. The flat patties come in ones, twos, or even threes on a roll, with your choice of add-on toppings, like bacon, cheese, pickle, and onion (though you won't find lettuce or tomato). One reviewer on Google raved about how theirs was: "My God[,] was it delicious! I had the double[-]double combo and was not disappointed! The perfect burger, nice and greasy ... [I] can't believe how delicious it was[,] especially since it was cooked in 100[-]year[-]old grease!" But there is so much more on the Dyer's menu to enjoy that you would be remiss if you only tried the beef. For example, its Southern fried chicken tenders come highly recommended, with multiple customers describing them as some of the greatest they've tried, and its wings also receive their fair share of praise. The Dyer's baloney sandwich is another must-try, with its thick-cut slab of the nostalgic lunch meat, served with satisfyingly crispy edges on a bun.

Save room for sweets because Dyer's also has a small but mighty dessert menu, featuring two tasty childhood favorites, Twinkies and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, both fried. A reviewer on Google wrote of the former, "I hate Twinkies[,] but I was given one on the house for my birthday. And wow. It was love at first sight." And on TripAdvisor, a reviewer noted of the latter that it was the true first-place surprise from their entire meal.