Came for Elvis, left impressed by the people and the history. We showed up about 30 minutes after closing and were bummed to miss it. A young man outside asked if we wanted to go in to look around and take photos -- we assumed he worked there. Turns out it was Jeffrey Zepatos, 4th generation family. That level of hospitality alone earns 5 stars. This wasn't our first visit -- we've eaten here before and the food is excellent, classic diner comfort food with big portions. That's why we were so disappointed to miss it this time. Yes, Elvis brought us in, but The Arcade is so much more than that. It's Memphis' oldest restaurant (1919), with a family that kept it going through decades of downtown changes. If you love diners, history, and genuine customer service, this place is special. read more

As others have said - do not go here for the food. How they can claim to be a breakfast place and serve up STONE COLD food and get away with it is a real mystery. Coffee was good but the cup was dirty. Cold hash browns - one forkful and done. Cold gravy on my biscuit. The egg was hot - so it wasn't sitting this way, it was plated this way. Hard no on the food. Service was good and got them the second star. read more

I finally made it to the infamous Arcade Restaurant in downtown Memphis. It was good and location is perfect for walking and stopping by. It is a good walk in diner, touristy enough to still be a good local's spot. A family atmosphere while hosting a morning meeting and tourist dropping in is just perfect. Servers were pleasant and patient. We had an issue with food being cold and she wisked that plate from my friend and inside of 10 minutes she had a fresh plate! It happens and they fixed it immediately apologized. My first Bloody Mary and wasn't a fan because of the after taste but I fought my way through and it was worth it. I enjoyed the food very much! read more

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I took 30 men Sunday night at 8:00 to kick off our men's golf trip. They opened back up for us, served us great food, told us the history of the place and overall made our stay incredible. Highly recommend ! read more

Absolutely the worst staff of loser employees on planet earth place is filthy dirty half tables are dirty and staff has resentful lack of respect to customers attitude we walked out after waiting to place a order and asking to place a order wasting 15 minutes of my life waiting for these losers to do their jobs! read more

The fried peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich was good. (Fried like a grilled cheese sandwich). But the cheese bacon fries were nasty like they used old nachos cheese. Asked for ranch for the fries had to asleep a different waitress for it ( it was like our waitress really didn't want to be there.) The ascetic (ambiance) of the restaurant was comfortable. We sat at Elvis Presley's booth. read more

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I love this place: the history, the food, the super old Formica tables!! This place is mandatory when you visit Memphis. It's just so full of history. It is said to be the oldest restaurant in Memphis. Super high ceilings, which is what they had before air-conditioning. The scratch made biscuits are incredible. I had the bacon biscuit among other things, just fantastic! Great pancakes and bacon. It's all great! Fun old vibe! Super friendly and good service. You must try this place out. This and café eclectic are my two favorites. read more

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Elvis may have left the building, but you can still enjoy one of his favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches on the menu at Memphis' oldest cafe -- the Arcade Restaurant. Founded in 1919 by Greek immigrant Speros Zepatos and run by his family to this day, the well-worn linoleum tables and vinyl booths installed in the 1950s offer a casual dining experience in the historic South Memphis neighborhood featuring an extensive menu of simple-but-well-executed breakfast, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads. My dining companion and I had breakfast at the Arcade twice while staying at the Central Station Memphis hotel located steps away across S. Main Street. Food was cooked fresh to order and the portions were very filling. I really enjoyed the Sweet Potato Pancakes platter ($14), comprised of a short stack of sweet potato pancakes, two eggs, bacon/sausage/ham, and a side of hash browns or grits, and the French Toast platter ($12.50), comprised of three pieces of french toast made from French bread, two eggs, bacon/sausage/ham, and a side of hash browns or grits. Both were fantastic. My dining companion opted for a Create-Your-Own Omelet ($15), available with up to 5 toppings, including 2 meats and 1 cheese, on our first visit and the Avocado Toast on our second visit both of which she enjoyed very much. Neither of us were a fan of the coffee, which just didn't seem strong enough for us. Service was mixed on the two visits, with our server on the first visit taking our order promptly and stopping by the table several times to refill our coffee mugs, but our server on the second visit disappeared as soon as she dropped our meals off on the table returning only to drop off the bill. PRO TIP #1: Bring your EMF meter. The Arcade Restaurant is allegedly haunted. An eerie incident occurred when a row of shot glasses was mysteriously swept from the bar onto the floor in the newly opened back room of the restaurant, attributable to founder Speros Zepatos's long-standing aversion to serving alcohol in the restaurant. PRO TIP #2: Bring your camera. Scenes from movies including Mystery Train, Great Balls of Fire, The Client, The Firm, 21 Grams, Elizabethtown, Walk the Line, and My Blueberry Nights and other films have all been filmed at the Arcade Restaurant. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Sweet Potato Pancakes Plate - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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So glad we made it just in time, closes at 3:00 pm. Oldest cafe in Memphis, founded in 1919. It's a diner so it's diner food but the atmosphere and nostalgia make it a fun stop. Enjoyed Elvis' peanut butter banana sandwich (added bacon for a sweet savory experience) and smoked turkey sandwich. The hit was the spiked "shake it like a king" milkshake, yummy!! Worth a visit while in Memphis. Be sure to sit in the old section and checkout Elvis' favorite booth. read more

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Real cool looking retro diner. Made famous in the film Mystery Train. Usually crowded. First off, we ordered and pmg they were soooo slow. We were there for breakfast. Didn't order anything crazy. Egg sandwich, ham and eggs, griddle cakes, and sweet potato pancakes. Ham was incredibly over salted. Hash browns way overcooked, grits pretty bad. Griddle cakes ok. Sweet potato pancakes just awful. I guess it's a cool place to stop in for a milkshake. But I wouldn't go back to eat. read more

Great food, great service. Served 30 in our group and was awesome experience. Historic and family owned.

Arcade Restaurant is Memphis' oldest cafe-- founded in 1919. The restaurant was remodeled in the 1950s and still to this day has the original flooring, booths, tables, and decor. It feels like a nostalgic step back in time. Lots of movies and tv shows have featured the classic interior with dozens of notable celebrities from Justin Timberlake to Elvis Presley making appearances. Supposedly, Elvis was a regular at one time with a special booth in the back corner that is now a dour ed with his own marker to make it easily recognizable for tourists! We made reservations for the main dining room the night before for 9:30 am. We arrived on time and there was no wait. They were going to sit us in the newer addition in the back room; however, we asked to stay in the front room and they had no problem with that! The inside is very clean, but also very retro. The table designs were worn from years and years from plates, coffee mugs, elbows, and maybe even Elvis's hands. It was pretty cool to see the building and furniture is in such great shape. I ordered the pancake breakfast which came with 3 pancakes, bacon, and egg. I added chocolate chips to my pancake! The portions were huge for the price, and the food did not take very long to arrive. Our server was very friendly and checked on us multiple times. It was such an enjoyable breakfast, it felt very unique to the area, and the food was delicious. Since we were staying at the hotel across the street, we did not have to move our car to find parking. I am unsure what parking availability is; however, I did see a large lot on the corner of this street beside the restaurant and local shops. read more

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The service was lousy they sat u and no one ever can to service us. We ask the young lady who had this table and never got an answer. So we got up and left. read more

Full of history? So what. It would have been nice to get our food before 45 minutes (server never checked on us once either). We almost walked out. I see this is a pattern here. Food was meh. Service was atrocious. Too bad. read more

This is the oldest restaurant in Memphis and we very much were looking forward to going there after being referred. Unfortunately, I think our food sat in low heat lamp window because our eggs, bacon and hashbrowns came out cold. Not lukewarm, but cold. Biscuits and grits were nice and warm. Gravy is just a powder mix with pepper. So easy to make sausage gravy. Our pregnant waitress was more concerned about visiting with a local patron at the counter than checking on us. I had to get my own coffee the first time and then Hunt her down each time after that. When we left our cups were empty. I still tipped her 18% because I felt bad for but normally tip about 30% on breakfast. read more

Food was amazing definitely try the sweet potato pancakes they are amazing ... all the drinks are to die for I'm trying a shake next time ... food was definitely worth the wait and the experience was awesomeness.. go here you won't be disappointed.. Jasmine was amazing!!! read more

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I've lived in Memphis 25 years , but I had never been to this iconic diner downtown. So glad we went ( breakfast/ bruch/ lunch ). All the food was very good, portions were large and the service was great. It's got that great old diner ambiance. Prices were ok... a bit high for a diner but quality and quantity were there. read more

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Nice breakfast in a historic, essential Memphis restaurant. Just prepared for the wait- a group of 6 was an hour wait with an hour ticket time on a Sunday around lunch. Country fried steak and eggs was delicious. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Country Fried Steak Breakfast Plate - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Amazing food, service a little slow, but the atmosphere/ambiance made up for it! Cannot wait to come back! read more

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Lovely establishment! I visited in a party of 4 and we had a great time. Our food was good, the server was attentive, and the drinks were great! They make a perfect breakfast shot! Loved it. The hasbrown bowl really impressed me. It was large enough for 2 people to eat & prepared correctly. I will say we got simple breakfast items to tread lightly since it was our first visit, so I can't speak to their soul food items or anything more complicated. The dining room was nice and spacious as well so you don't feel like you're crowded even when they get busy. We sat on the overflow side. The original dining room is a bit smaller and looks like an old style cafe. Very cute! This was my first time visiting and I'll be back! They did well for a quick breakfast drop in. read more

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The Arcade diner should be the first stop to everyone's weekend when downtown. The classic American diner features an extensive list of breakfast options as well as Elvis Presley's favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. I personally recommend ordering your customized omelette with 5 ingredients of your choice. It's an absolute guilty pleasure--oily, meaty, hearty, and melty paired with hashbrown and two biscuits with gravy. Generous portions to fill two bellies. The Hibiscus salad is a huge portion and my favorite healthy item on the menu. The staff here are all extremely friendly. Great value and will definitely get you full, honey. read more

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Best biscuits and gravy - hands down. I had the Redneck Breakfast which was so yummy and I added sausage. My friend really enjoyed her chicken fried steak. The service was quite nice and all should support local businesses. This place has been here since 1919. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

With all of the "for lease" signs on shop doors on South Main right now, I'm so happy to see the oldest diner in Memphis is still open! The restaurant is very cute inside! The staff were incredibly sweet. Our food came out quickly. The food itself was pretty good. They had a lot more options than I thought a diner would. They had mimosas. - We did a "build your own" carafe. They also had good coffee! It wasn't your typical diner coffee. They have a little coffee bar, and the coffee was gooood. My sister got the sweet potato pancakes, which I think I ended up eating the most of. They didn't even need syrup! I got the breakfast pizza, which was ok. My mom got biscuits and gravy which was a little bland, but not bad. Overall, this place was pretty good. read more

Can't say enough great things about this place. The food was great. The eggs were meh and the sausage was ok, but the PB and Banana fired samich with bacon was on point and the chocolate gravy was mind blowing with the biscuits and sweet potato pancakes. The deep fried. French toast was incredible. Go here, Elvis did! read more

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Server was upbeat and pleasant. Restaurant has an old school diner vibe. Food was served as ordered. Wide variety on the menu. Breakfast, Chicken tenders, Sandwiches, Burgers, Mimosas, and Shakes, just to name a few. Restaurant has been around for a long time. History is on the back of the menu. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Called at 10:40 said they could probably squeeze us in since there was just 2 of us. Got seated immediately upon walking in. Great! Then we Ordered and waited an hour to get our food. And it was.....incorrect. Apparently they have 2 different menus with different correlating menu item numbers. Lucky me. I was supposed to get the breakfast sampler and got the pancake breakfast. Another waitress delivered the food and I told her I was supposed to get the sampler and she fought me and told me #8 was pancake sampler. Then she realized I had gotten the "party or holiday menu" . She looked annoyed like I did the wrong thing? Girl what. No apology. Yes I do in fact, know how to read. Our waitress Carmen, rectified the situation but ehhh service was meh. Food was great. Wait time was awful. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Went for breakfast and it was horrible. Sausage was like a hockey puck. Eggs under cooked and ham was fatty and salty.

Even though we were only popping in for a quick tourist go 'round, the staff was super kind. Excellent service and a great ambiance. We had a parting beverage before we left town and we were not disappointed. Had it not been a monsoon like rain for days we would have ate here. We for sure will next time. read more

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Fast and friendly service. Typically diner food. It was good. The milkshake was very small and very pricey. I don't recommend getting one. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Bacon cheeseburger with sunny side up egg. - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I was excited to come to the oldest cafe restaurant in Memphis. They must be known for quality if they have been able to stay open for this long. However, I have been greatly disappointed with the lackluster display of their menu items. While customer service was friendly and satisfactory, the food that we ordered was not quite what we had imagined. My "deluxe grilled cheese" had limited cheese which had already congealed and hardened while we waited 30+ minutes for the food to arrive. The breakfast sampler came with the wrong order of eggs, dry pancakes, and unappetizing hash browns. If anything, the two stars earned were because of the staff and the wonderful Bloody Mary. But if you're coming for food, there is definitely better elsewhere. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Disappointing Hash Browns from the Breakfast Sampler - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Had "lunch"there today. Worst BLT with a few scraps of broken bacon, tiny sliver of tomato and nothing bread. Greek salad with terrible lettuce. Took 45 minutes from time we ordered until food arrived. I'm giving it two stars rather than one because our waitress was nice and personable. I'm a Memphian so I should have known better but we were out walking with a friend from out of town so thought we would give it a try. With so many excellent restaurants downtown there is no reason to eat here. read more

We were immediately sat, took our drink order, then 20minutes passed and food order was taken, after a hour we left after paying for our 2 sodas we left before receiving our food read more

Stumbled upon the Arcade ... too many choices on the menu that we wanted to try (Chocolate gravy!? Amazing!) ... and Carmen was the MAGIC that made our visit to the Arcade an EXCELLENT experience. Please don't think you can make up your own menu, but Carmen suggested some special small mods to our orders so we could experience more of their impressive menu without ordering six entrees between the two of us. Everyone was great... Gracious... Attentive... (and the place was jumping when we arrived). Don't arrive in a snooty mood ... the place has been around WAY longer than you ... Go for the experience. Order the unexpected because the menu has such an amazing variety, and appreciate that the hardworking staff hustles to provide a really good service. We'll be back. #CarmenMagic read more

Arcade Restaurant - Where the magic happens... - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Such a cool little piece of Memphis history! This place has become a requirement for my family when we visit town. Vibe is great. Food is always great. Staff is very friendly. Highly recommend checking out this restaurant! Never know, you might just bump into a celebrity sneaking through town as well. read more

One of our trolley drivers pointed this place out to us so we decided to go here the next day and boy were we happy we did! We love local diners, especially ones with history. The Arcade has been around since 1919. The food is good and reasonably priced. I had the sweet potato pancakes and bacon, delicious! My hubs got the breakfast sampler. He loved the french toast so much I think he would have preferred to get just the french toast. Service is excellent. The people here are working hard. 4th generation is running the place so I am sure they take pride in their business. Definitely hit this place up if you are in town as you will not be disappointed! read more

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Alright, let's be honest with ourselves, the food here is okay, but no one is coming for the food. It's the history of the place that brings people in, hell that's what brought us in... Unfortunately that history means the staff is more focused on the gift shop / merch side than on the food that started them out. Eggs requested over easy were definitely not, fried PB sandwich was soft and greasy, coffee was cold, but now I can say I've had Elvis' favorite sandwich at a place that used to serve it to him. Yay me?! read more

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Great food, walking distance from Lorraine Hotel and the Civil Rights Museum. Nice place for tourists to get a really good breakfast!

The salmon croquettes were not good. I would call it a biscuit with some flecks of salmon somewhere within with some corn kernels. I had the Elvis special and it was a meh! Update the menu guys! I know the restaurant nostalgic but update the menu! read more

Arcade Restaurant - Elvis special. Meh! - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Just not worth it. Inside not updated, I felt gross. Service was so slow, she was sweet but slow. Food was 4/10 at best. SO much potential here but really spend your money elsewhere read more

Historic diner with good food and service. Was fortunate to use Elvis' favorite booth. Expanded to space next door so ample seating and a specialty coffee bar. Recommended. read more