The food was delicious, friendly atmosphere, two rooms to choose from for seating. We were well taken care of during our stay. They helped us with the menu, I had the potato soup cup with a half Thang sandwich. My husband had the hamburger steak with chili. Did not disappoint. We finished it off with a banana split, just right portion and very good. This is the oldest restaurant in Memphis and welL worth the stop, get there early enough and you can get street parking for free. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Vibes are good. The food and service was mediocre. If you are looking for a place to eat breakfast in Memphis I would go elsewhere.

This may be a great touristy spot being where Elvis ordered his PB & banana sandwich, but the food was amazing too!!! Do not miss this spot for breakfast or brunch! read more

See all

For sure a one and done. No locals call this home that's for certain. Cashing in on tourists for an Elvis sandwich... hour wait for food after being seated. Many other options in the area read more

I was really shocked at the rudeness of the lady serving coffee. It was needless and petty. Maybe she was having a bad day but that doesn't excuse her behavior. The coffee wasn't bad even though she messed up our order and she had another waitress fix her mistake. Now that waitress was nice. read more

I was here during Elvis week on the exactly 40year anniversary of his death. I didn't plan it, just happen to be in town, and looking for breakfast. I did however learn some cool things, he not only lived and died in Memphis, but he was a regular here. They even now keep a table reserved for him. How cool is that?! This place has also been in movies and on the travel channel/ food network. Knowing all this I just had to come! It's downtown so parking is like all downtowns, crappy. I lucked out, because I came early. The service was right on point. I was expecting overpriced mediocre food, and was surprised to find decent prices, and great food. Aside from all the hype and history, this is a truly good place for just food. I'd definitely stop in again. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Just okay. Waited over 35 minutes for a basic two egg breakfast and had to send it back because it was cold. Although they've been around since 1919 they still need to work on their service and overall taste of the food. Seriously, it's hard to mess up breakfast. Side note: the French toast taste more like a hard beignet. read more

Will not be back. Sorry, quality of food and cleanliness has gone done hill. I live right around the corner, but rather drive to midtown. Have fun tourist. read more

Absolutely loved everything! The breakfast was perfect. Highly recommend the french toast. :)

Food was cold, service very slow. No sense of urgency. On top of it all there was 20% gratuity.

First of all, the french toast was AMAZING! This is a definite recommend must try. I also had the biscuits and gravy, but that was a disappointment. No sausage gravy and it had very little flavor. Very sad. The service was super hit or miss and the wait was sooooo long. We definitely waited once sat at a table for a very long time before a waitress even got our drink order. The food also took a very long time to come out. This still has to be on your Memphis to do list just because it is iconic. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Was pretty good. Friendly service. Food was average. I think you're going more for the building than the food. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

While in town for a friend's birthday we stopped into Arcade Restaurant before heading out and seeing the sights of Memphis for the day. I had done a little Yelping and discovered this place touting itself as the "oldest café in Memphis" and naturally we had to check it out. Yes, that's right, I'm a sucker for nostalgia like that. It's a little bit off the beaten path from downtown, but not terribly difficult to get to (we took a $5 Uber). From the outside, and especially on the inside, you can tell there's some history with this establishment. The inside has a completely classic diner feel to it and therefore we bellied up to the counter in order to be right in the action. Our waitress was friendly but stuck to business and everything happened very quickly and efficiently. We, too, meant business as we had the city to see! Keeping it pretty pedestrian we went with classic eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. I figure, if they can't get the basics right then they can't get anything right. Well, they got it right, very right. Everything came out hot, tasted fresh and delicious, and the portion size was solid (I did not leave feeling hungry or like I didn't get my money's worth). To say I'm a fan of Arcade Restaurant is being absolutely accurate. Great spot to grab breakfast! read more

What a great blast from the past! Going on a Saturday for brunch, of course, the place was packed but we didn't have to wait long for a table for 5. We are ordered something different and the food did not disappoint. The Elvis sandwich was great and is a must-try! The service was super great. The food did take a little while to arrive but hey, when you are in good company it doesn't matter how long you wait! read more

We are here right now, sitting at the counter, and not one person has acknowledged us to ask us if they could help us or anything. This is the worst service I have ever seen in my lifetime with an entire staff. If I where you I would stay way from this establishment it's not worth your time or frustration. No one food is worth this type of aggravation. read more

Before giving the review, let me give the disclaimer that I am a resident of Memphis, and more specifically, live in the neighborhood that Arcade is in. That should assist in giving context to my review... Service: The service was very slow. My wife and I sat at the "first come, first serve" counter instead of at a table. It felt like there isn't as much dedicated service to customers who sit at the counter as opposed to a table. I overheard customers on either side of us also complaining about the slow service. It appeared that all of the workers didn't really dedicate themselves to one specific task (i.e. delivering food to tables, prepping silverware, answering the phone). It seemed as if everyone did random tasks at random times. There should be dedicated staff for specific tasks. Note: The kitchen seemed to be churning out orders at a good pace. The dishes simply weren't being picked up and delivered to tables, so there seemed to be a bottleneck situation. We saw our food sit there for at least 10 minutes. There seemed to be no urgency in this regard. Food: Mediocre. Not much elaboration needed. The chicken tenders, specifically, are obviously bought from a food service vendor, and are not made in house, which is kind of ridiculous for a Southern restaurant. Cleanliness: Average. *shoulder shrug* The area behind the counter seems to have a lot of clutter, which I wouldn't necessarily deem "dirty", but it puts off a general feeling of "laziness". To any readers of this review, keep in mind that this restaurant is mainly a tourist attraction, and I would argue is the reason that it is still open. They thrive on the whole "Elvis used to eat here!" nonsense. If this restaurant had only its food and service to stand on, it would've been closed a long time ago. read more

Oh was this delicious! Probably the best Bellini I've had! The pancakes were fluffy and great, the bacon and sausage were divine! The eggs- great. The grits tasted watery to me, but I didn't eat grits growing up. Overall fantastic!! read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

We stopped in to Arcade by recommendation of a friend who used to live in Memphis. We took the early tour of Sun Records and needed some sustenance before we began our trek back home to OKC. We were instantly seated in this classic diner and enjoyed reading the history of the place before choosing our breakfast. I am a fan of beverages so I ordered a coffee, water, tomato juice, and mimosa. My husband ordered the traditional breakfast with eggs over easy, biscuits and gravy, and hash browns and I ordered the beignets and one biscuit with gravy because carbs are life. His plate came out hot and my beignets were covered in powdered sugar. My gravy was a little cold but they were very quick to bring me a fresh bowl of gravy. They have a traditional counter and I loved watching locals and tourists interact during their breakfast. I wish there were more counters like this across the country because it really does help build a sense of community and break down barriers. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I think the reason why most people come is bc it was one of Elvis favorite restaurants and We got to sit in His favorite booth. Other than that, the food wasnt horrible, but it wasnt any reason to return read more

The food was awful. The omelet had more sausage than egg and was so greasy. The sandwich I had was turkey, brie, onion and supposed to be red peppers but it was hard sun dried tomatoes. It was ice cold. Just a terrible experience. read more

I remember coming here on vacation as a kid when this part of town wasn't doing to great. I remember my dad bringing us here out of nostalgia sake. I remember thinking I wasn't expecting much my first time there and being blown away with how good a breakfast can be. Now the area is flourishing and so is this restaurant. Long waits must be ridden out every visit here now. The food is as good as I remember. The country ham is my favorite with the perfect biscuit. The experience here is a must. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

First visit to Memphis and the Arcade. Overall good experience. Waited less than 10 minutes to be seated. Ordered the #8 pancakes snd it did not disappoint! Relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff and good food! read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Catastrophic service staff. Catastrophic service staff. Catastrophic service staff. Catastrophic service staff.

Great atmosphere service was good. Very busy on Sunday morning we had omelette and I had the sampler.

French Toast for breakfast is the perfect way to start your day. Loved the crispiness.

Had the most wonderful time at the Arcade Restaurant! Visited from Australia, and Lucy went above and beyond with her service. Lucy is an absolute asset to the establishment. Was truly a wonderful experience getting to dine in the Elvis booth. As my father is a huge Elvis fan, I did my research to make sure we got to visit Elvis's favourite locations, and the Arcade Restaurant was one of them! Made sure to book the Elvis booth, where Elvis would dine, well in advance. The diner had a fantastic menu with great variety, and had the retro atmosphere taking us back to yesteryear. We made sure to order Mr Presley's favourite peanut butter and banana fried sandwich. Many thanks again Lucy, and keep up the amazing work!! read more

See all

If you want to eat remotely decent food...don't come here!! This place seems to be solely banking on the fact it's historic, really wish they would focus on food and service being a restaurant but then don't! Employees are rude but seems like everyone in Memphis is!! I feel like it's hard to mess up breakfast but they managed to! Biscuits and gravy? Nope, gravy was gross and flavorless! Dirty silverware was nicely wrapped up in a napkin. When I asked for an extra set, got a rude response from the lady that dropped off our food. Over all, gross, dingy place, take a picture of the outside for your trip and look for a different place to dine! read more

Decided to try this iconic restaurant in Memphis. I would definitely go back, but would hope service was a bit quicker. Now mind you, I understand Covid and employee shortages, but here's my experience: Had my dog with me, so decided to order food online with their preferred app. Was told via the app that it would be a 30 minute wait. No problem, it was lunchtime. Waited about 40 minutes, popped into the restaurant to see if the order was ready. Nope. The young man in front was extremely polite and kept apologizing. I went back out to the car and gave them about 15 minutes. Popped back in. I was told that the cooks were working on the chocolate gravy and it shouldn't take long. Alright, back out to the car and pup. (Yes, pup was safe in the A/C...right next to the restaurant...in full view the entire time.) Third trip inside led to a discussion with a lady who had been waiting at the register since my first visit. All she wanted was a cup of coffee. Fast forward to an hour later. Another visit inside. This time I was promised it wouldn't be long. The host, sensing my frustration did try to make amends and I appreciate that. Knew it wasn't his fault, I was just getting hungry! Finally, my order was ready. The food - sweet potato pancakes - might be the best I've ever eaten. They were delicious! The hash browns could have used a bit more time on the griddle, but they too were good. I didn't mind, but as an FYI I order blueberries with the pancakes. In the photos online it shows the berries on top of the pancakes. The berries were part of the pancake for my order. Delicious and plentiful, so not complaining, just informing. Would I eat there again? Absolutely, in fact I look forward to consuming those pancakes once again. Word to the wise; allow plenty of time. And make sure you ask for ketchup with your hashbrowns (if that's your thing). read more

After many years in Memphis, I had never made it to the Arcade. My wife and I stayed downtown for a wedding and reception and decided to try it the next morning. They warned us that they were short staffed so we were prepared to wait. It was a lengthy time to get breakfast. At best, the food was adequate. Glad we went but would not wait to eat there again. read more

Pretty good food my wife had a burger there and it was really good my French toast sticks were a little on the crunchy side but they were pretty good but at the end of the day you're coming for the atmosphere and it's pretty cool to eat where Elvis ate the staff is super friendly and it was super crowded but luckily we snagged a spot at the bar I would definitely come here if I was in town again highly recommended if you're looking for something to eat it is not the cheapest place to eat but it's also not the most expensive place to eat read more

Great Breakfast and the trick to faster service is to get their early on weekends. Friendly and attentive staff. Food was excellent!! I've eaten there often in the past but first time post Covid...was impressed and glad they are surviving the current worker shortages. read more

This is probably my favorite place to brunch. I would definitely go on a week day if possible because weekends you could face up to a hour wait. My personal favorite is the biscuits and gravy! The service can sometimes be slow but it can be expected because they are always slammed. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Ham and cheese 7. Create your own omelet - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The oldest diner in Memphis with all of the charm. Friendly service, classic breakfast and do NOT skip the sweet potato pancakes, "Sweet Cakes". Good, solid breakfast with southern service and the homemade biscuits with white pepper gravy are on point. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Food was not great at all. Burned rubbery pancakes & no refills of drinks. Runny grits served with a slice of processed cheese laid on top.

Great location. I usually sit at the counter to get in and out quickly. Ohh well.... It took about 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge me after I sat down the it took nearly 40 minutes for my food to arrive. The service was below average, at best. Food was average, at best. My Oder came out wrong. I have been coming here for years whenever I'm in town for business. I doubt I'll be rushing back on my next trip. read more

This place was...marginal for a one time stop. I won't be back though. It was awesome to start as I sat in what the proclaim was Elvis Presley's favorite booth (my all time favorite entertainer), but the food was subpar and on the expensive side for what is indicated here. Family of five, $73 without the tip. We had a small cheese pizza, one PB Banana sandwich, country steak, and ice cold Grits with hard as a rock French Toast. We hit them at 2:00, son I guess it was all pre-made for the noon lunch crowd? Food and price was disappointing, but again, if you are into history & times of old, drop by & look at the menu and drink water to hold to the single $/$$$$ thought. How have they managed to survive the weather of the decades? Nostalgia my friends. That is all. read more

Disappointing meal, the place is simply a novelty. Ordered the chicken fried steak with eggs over easy and grits (came with two biscuits). The steak was small, underseasoned and didnt come with gravy (friend had gravy for another meal item which was like glue), two very small eggs, the grits were bland and the biscuits were nothing special. Avoid this place. read more

Arcade Restaurant - Chicken fried steak meal - Diners Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

We were on vacation and had been at the art museum that day and were starving when we got out. It was a weekday about 2pm and we headed to the Arcade. We still had to wait about 20 minutes to get in, but they text you when the table is ready so we walked around the neighborhood and shopped while we waited which was awesome! We sat in the back at a table right in front of the kitchen food pick up window. QR code for a menu, and we killed time while we waited for our food watching the wall mounted TV or watching the kitchen employees work. It was a long wait for our food we thought, but then again we were starving so that may have tainted our opinion (but we only ordered a BLT and a chicken sandwich). Food hit the spot - nothing fabulous but not bad either. As we were at the register checking out they have postcards for sale of the diner and one of them said "I sat in the Elvis Booth". I asked the hostess about that and she said that Elvis ate there every day when he was in town for breakfast, and sat in the very last booth next to the kitchen (or in other words, the booth next to our table!) They do have some photos mounted on the wall in that booth area but that's about it. I'm not a die-hard Elvis fan so I didn't know this piece of trivia before I saw the postcard, so we thought that was kinda cool! read more

The food was okay. I got a bacon cheeseburger with avocado. The fries were cold and tasted like they were old. Our waitress was nice but the other staff members were extremely rude and acted like it was inconvenient when i asked them for help. read more

This is the oldest restaurant in Memphis. We came here after our ghost tour since it was so conveniently located to the Broom Closet. We came late, but the service was still good. We ordered a pizza--not my choice-- with sausage and mushrooms. It took awhile to come out as pizzas tend to do. It was good but I'm betting those diner sandwiches would have been even better. I was longing for French fries, but my husband rarely wants those and we were sharing. Glad we went to eat at this historical place. read more