Well, well, well. Old reliable is still jukin' after nearly forty years. Somewhere in there, white people found that they could hang out, drink, listen to music, AND feel comfortable in Wild Bill's. Bill, for his part, will take $10 out of anybody's hand at the door.
Still, Bill's has its scars. In 2006, some crackhead (I'm guessing) pushed open the front door, demanded Bill's pile of tens, and emptied the clip of his 9mm into the ceiling.
"He wasn't gonna hurt anybody," Bill assures us, "he was only trying to scare me." Patrons chased the man out and "subdued" him with chairs.
Your ten spot at the door gets you some "free" food between sets. Nice spread, actually, compared to other free bonanzas in jukes, which invariably consist of wings and cole slaw. Bill's grub looked like Thanksgiving dinner laid out the night we visited. Bill's serves $3 longnecks, and $4 quarts. You do the math. Or look around. You can also get an ice bucket and glass for purposes of setting up a whole variety of potent potables.
This seems as good a time as any to discuss the music. (In blowhard sociology professor voice) Juke joints are traditionally associated with the blues. If you've never visited a Memphis juke joint, or haven't lately, you'll be surprised to hear juke bands playing more of what whitey insists on categorizing as soul. Partying locals, however, call this blues. Blues is party music to the locals, rather than the lament of the tortured soul that passed for the stuff seventy years ago.
Bill's is the most accessible and well-known juke in town. You're guaranteed a late night of partying and live soul and blues, and you're likely to run into visitors from foreign countries the same as local college kids and grown folks. In our humble opinion, though, you have to go a little further and take a few risks to find the best music.
Update: Proprietor "Wild Bill" Storey passed away at the age of 88 in July 2007. We hear that his widow will continue running the club for as long as she's able. Bill's has been one of those Memphis institutions that you could almost take for granted, but at this point, you'd better get there and enjoy it while you can.