If you've been to Babalu before, you already know why people keep coming back. If you haven't, start with the lamb sliders and thank me later. The lamb sliders were once again the star of the show--juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The soft buns paired with the seasoned lamb created the perfect bite, and those sweet potato fries were hot, crispy, and seasoned just right. Tableside Guacamole remains one of the best experiences on the menu. Freshly made in front of you with chunky avocado, fresh ingredients, and plenty of flavor. Pair it with their warm, crispy chips and try not to fill up before the entrées arrive. The Memphis Hot Shrimp brought the heat and crunch. Crispy fried shrimp tossed in Memphis-style seasoning with a cool dipping sauce to balance everything out. Flavor-packed without being overwhelming. The cocktails were equally impressive: Old Fashioned made with Bulleit Bourbon - smooth, balanced, and exactly what an Old Fashioned should be. Sidecar - refreshing, citrusy, and dangerously easy to drink. The atmosphere was lively without feeling crowded, service was attentive, and the food arrived hot and fresh. read more

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I enjoyed the Galentine event. We had an amazing time on the patio. The Playlist was bomb, the hosts were fabulous and the experience was a 10/10. I loved that they allowed us to also serve as mixologist if you had a ticket under your seat (which i did). The Tickets are $40+ tax and gratuity and I felt there were very reasonable. The menu for the event included Three specialty cocktails Love Potion #9: Single Barrel Corazon Reposado Tequila, peach brandy, Kim Crawford Prosecco, blood orange, strawberry, agave Spicy Peach Margarita: peach, jalapeño, tequila, TAJÍN® Chamoy rim The Hype Man: Single Barrel Corazon Reposado Tequila, Cazadores Cafe Liqueur, Rumchata served in a chocolate chip cookie shot cup. Each cocktail included a small bite which were Lamb Sliders, Carne Asada Bowls, and Avocado Ice Cream. read more

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The new menu is amazing! The kids enjoyed their kids quesadillas and tacos. I had the Birria quesadilla and it was everything! The fight amounted to of sauce and the avocado dip was good, the girls were trying to lick the container. The staff were friendly and service was superb. read more

Babalu is located in Overton Square in Memphis and offers homemade Southern-inspired Latin dishes. My friend and I sat on the patio on the side of the restaurant. They have a good amount of seating on the patio as well as indoors. Our server was Sean and he was wonderful during our visit and very attentive and sweet. I ordered a delicious lemon berry sour cocktail, which came with tito's vodka, blackberry, strawberries, and a citrus sour. For my meal, I ordered the shrimp and grits with gulf shrimp, mushrooms, shallots, garlic butter sauce, green onion, cheesy grits. So yummy! I would easily go back for both the cocktail and shrimp and grits if in the area in the future. read more

I stopped in to grab a quick bite at the bar and thank goodness it wasn't too busy. The bartender took my order and answered my questions. When I lived in Jackson this was The after work spot for a while, boy we had a time back then at BABALU!! I loved the short rib that they used to have. I ordered the lamb sliders and brussel sprouts. The lamb was cooked well not too dry. The brussel sprouts were tasty but a tad too greasy. This is still a fun place and I really need to get out more. I haven't been in here in years. I would recommend this place for good food and a good time. read more

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Went for a nice dinner on the Covered Patio last night. What a great dining experience. Even in heat of summer the fans and sunscreens keep things cool. One of my wife and i's favorite restaurants. Great manager great food and Morgan was an exceptional waitress. Don't miss it. read more

In Overton square. Nice big open concept. Few outdoor tables. Food was good but meh mild flavors. All our entrees were on smaller side and some do not come with sides. 3 small Tacos definitely should accompany rice & beans minimal. I had their new carne asada bowl, others had burger fries, birria tacos, chicken tacos, and tuna carpaccio. It was okay but not a place I'd crave to visit again. read more

This is are go to Best place in Midtown Memphis for Brunch & Tacos. It's always busy, the staff is always amazing, the food is always delicious no matter what we order and the restaurant is always super clean. We enjoy sitting at the bar during game time and having a few with friends and making new friends. read more

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The bar is the perfect spot to sit and watch some football, have a drink, appetizer, and good conversation. The bartenders are experienced and helpful. The drinks are refreshing and cold! read more

Babalu - Margarita - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Love love love Babalu! I ordered the George's Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich this time, and it will probably be my go to order every time. I also had the Blueberry Lemon Drop and it was good and will be getting it again read more

We love the food here but the drinks are very weak. For the price, the drinks shouldn't be so weak.. now when we come here we just usually have water and not get a drink.. they taste good but for the price, they shouldn't be so stingey on the pour. Food is always very good though! read more

This place has an amazing cocktail menu, that includes a single barrel tequila that is offered in 5 different cocktails AND is unique to Babalu and the city. Enjoyed some delicious table side made guac. Don't forget to add the bacon and jalapeños!! read more

Babalu is my go-to for healthy options. Their dishes are made from scratch with fresh ingredients, and always local whenever available. They have a new menu with so many healthy options and they are all so good! Really love this food and atmosphere! read more

We attended a tasting of new menu items, and we absolutely loved the experience! We are most excited about the new power bowls and the Hype Man and Old Fashioned cocktails! The food, drinks, and service were exceptional. read more

Babalu - Hype Man and Old Fashioned cocktails - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I love the guacamole. I never ate it prior to coming here.... Must try it! The birria tacos are good as well. The service is great & the atmosphere is welcoming. read more

It was fine. Just fine. The best part was the table side , freshly made guac. My wife's paella was ok and just three days removed, I can't remember what I got. Nice, kind service but slow bc appears spread too thin from outside seating to all o we the place. Came highly recommended but not sure I'll come back or maybe we should've tried midtown as we didn't know there were two..... read more

The perfect place to eat in Overton Square!! I had been to the one in Midtown and liked it, but I was wowed all over again having it a couple years later. We started off with the table side guacamole, FANTASTIC! Probably the best guacamole I've had. My boyfriend doesn't even like guacamole normally, but he said it was very good. Then, I had the shrimp and al pastor taco (very impressive) and my boyfriend had the chicken and steak (he loved it)! The tacos aren't just simple little tacos, they are complexly flavorful. I also had the cucumber mocktail and it was great too! I love that they had 3 different mocktail options. Shoutout to our server, Grace! read more

Babalu - Dining room - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Fresh food Friendly service Busy cool ambiance Everything on the menu looked good Very filling Yum yummy Summer salad Strawberries and veggies read more

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Recommended by a few friends and we were pleased with our dinner. Great restaurant atmosphere as well as wonderful service from our waitress. Different options to choose from and I will say the food isn't very heavy. Left feeling great after a great meal! Our food was delightful and came out hot. read more

Babalu - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

This is NOT Mexican food! Tacos are average at best! I am an out of towner from San Diego! The best mexican food around besides Mexico. I took a bite of their "tortillas chips" with some Queso dip. Wtf are these chips. Store bought tortillas chips are more like tortilla chips than what they served. These tacos were on tortillas that you buy in the store! Nothing special at all! You can make better and more flavorful at home. I realize these arent meant to be authentic Mexican the flavors were lacking and the tacos were tiny. My guest had a Caesar with Blackened Redfish. I tried the fish and its was tasty but the caesar dressing was lacking! Service was very good and our server was friendly and attentive. The interior was minimalistic but attractive and clean. I expected more elevated tastes but was disappointed. I did not expect Mexico quality/taste, so my standards were lower before dining a Babalu. Just didnt meet my lowered expectations. I dont recommend this place. read more

Love this place. Staff is always super friendly and welcoming. Tacos are so good. Also the lamb sliders are amazing. Drinks are fresh and not made with cheap mixes. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a casual fun experience read more

Babalu - Blackened fish taco, tuna taco - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Great spot for brunch!! Our server Tristan was a 10/10- friendly, knowledgeable, and good vibes all around! The drinks (especially the margarita spritz- thanks Leanne!) were killer and I'll be thinking about those rosti potatoes for the rest of my life. read more

Loved the food! So many options. Had the summer salad with salmon and it was amazing. The brussel sprouts might be one of the best I've very had. Friendly good service. Cute place. read more

It was a busy night. I sat at the bar to dine since it was the quickest way to be seated. I was immediately greeted and given a menu. I order a drink and braised pork meal which was delicious. The order to deliver med to me within 10 minutes. I took half home to enjoy the next day. The service was good throughout. I was happy with the service and the food and the price was not bad either. It was crowded and a little loud, but not bad. A lively atmosphere is good. I will definitely go back. read more

Babalu - Babu Rita - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Babalu has been around a while and each visit has been pretty consistent. Food and drinks are always good, friendly staff, and good tacos, can't forget the guacamole. The guac is prepared table side and I don't know what kind of mojo they use, but the guac is amazing. I prefer it with veggies and chips, dont forget to add bacon to the guac. It is LIFE CHANGING! I order 3-4 tacos and depending on my mood I will order the following tacos: pork belly, chicken, carnitas, steak and shrimp. I have enjoyed the tamales when they were on the menu, Baba burger, fries, street corn (off the cob). This is my favorite location and the original Babalu. I will travel for food and this is one place I like to keep on the roster. They also have great cocktails! If you are in the area, stop by and visit! Parking situation: Parking garage and street parking when you can find it. The parking garage is the ONLY reason I will continue to visit. I hate having to drive around countless times looking for a parking space..I will drive right on back home! read more

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Babalu has totally refreshed their menu and it's so worth checking out! A few favorites are still around, but most of the dishes are completely new and full of bold, fresh flavors. We loved the power bowls and the tuna carpaccio. The cocktail menu got a fun update too with lots of creative non-alcoholic options alongside the classics. And dessert is a must. The double chocolate skillet cookie is everything and the seasonal sorbets are SO good. If you haven't been in a while, now's the perfect time to hit up Babalu and try the new menu read more

Overall a good lunch experience at 12:45 PM on a Saturday with kids. Seated immediately/no wait. Loved the bright eyeshadow of many of the staff. After a blip of not realizing we were in her section, our waitress was very attentive and helpful including helping us figure out how much to get our kids. We got the tableside guacamole which was pretty good, lots of sun dried tomato flavor (but strong recommendation to management to get the person who makes it at the very least a spatula to scrape it off and also probably a pestle to pound with (he made the whole thing with a big spoon)). Our kids loved the chips. They were fresh and crispy. It would have been nice for the rest of the food to come out quickly especially the fruit for the kids, but it seemed like they were giving us time to enjoy our appetizer (for sure not needed when dining with kids!!) Husband had: pork belly, seared tuna, and grilled shrimp taco and a Bloody Mary / he was happy with all of them Kids got: chicken fingers w/yellow rice as the side, fruit cups - waitress recommended they split one kids meal between them, and she was not wrong I got: crab cake appetizer (I had meant to get the brunch Benedict but when I said the "brunch crab cake item" she must have just heard crab cakes. It was very tasty and flavorful and ended up being more than enough food for me with the guacamole. read more

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I really had high hopes for this place as it came recommended from a friend. The vibe hits, great atmosphere and aesthetic. They have indoor and outdoor seating available. We sat outside, beware so many flies! They weren't there when we sat down but the second the food arrived, they came out in forces. The food is fine, nothing super notable. We were a party of 4, ordered tacos and guacamole with a few drinks. The el pastor taco was spicy!!!! My tongue is still sensitive. Service was below average. It took a long time for our server to greet us, little attentiveness, and ordered a dessert to go that was forgotten 3 times. Main reason for the low score is it was dirty! Bathrooms are disgusting! Floors and walls of the restaurant had food splattered everywhere. It just felt dirty and was almost enough for us to leave. read more

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Terrible service, food was cold and flavorless. Hostess was nice and that is all the positive I have to say.

The babalu had amazing food, the tacos were a little bit crunchy for my liking, but it was still amazing! The staff there were friendly and the service was wonderful. The atmosphere/ ambience was very good! This is a kid friendly restaurant too! read more

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Last night was date night for us, and Babalu Memphis did not disappoint! We started with the Memphis Hot Honey Shrimp, and it could not have been a better choice. The shrimp were fried to crispy perfection, with a hot honey sauce that balanced sweet and spicy beautifully. Our wonderful server, Brooke, recommended pairing it with the Light 'N' Stormy (coconut and mango rums, pineapple purée, lime, cucumber, citrus sour, and ginger beer), and she was spot on--the cocktail was tropical, refreshing, and a perfect match for the shrimp. For dinner, I had the Pan-Seared Salmon over cheesy grits, finished with a crispy sear. It was tender, flavorful, and the grits were rich and creamy--comfort food at its best. My husband ordered the Birria Bowl with cheesy grits and it was hearty, savory, and full of flavor. What truly made the night special was Brooke's service. She was warm, attentive, and her recommendations elevated our whole experience. From start to finish, she made sure everything was perfect. Babalu Memphis has quickly become one of our new favorite spots--delicious food, great cocktails, and outstanding service. Highly recommend the Hot Honey Shrimp, the Light 'N' Stormy, and asking for Brooke when you visit! read more

Well I have this five just recently and I like it, so I came back. today we're just gonna have a couple of drinks. Service is great as always. Today is the weekend so it's very packed. And the ambience it's really refreshing. read more

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This beautiful bright open restaurant has yummy fare and attentive staff. The table side guac is a must if you go here. The charred chips are great. Margaritas are made with quality ingredients. We all had some tacos too, and everything we ordered was good to great. read more

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Kendall is so amazing!!! So thoughtful for my dad's 67th birthday!! Food is always amazing!! read more

Babalu - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Never misses. Consistently good food and great prices. The table side guacamole by Ivan is the best in Memphis. Also go some great recommendations from Tristan our server. The rosti potato's are one of the best sides on the menu. read more

Visited this place while in Memphis on business. It describes itself as "Southern food with a Latin flare". Ok...I will try it. First thing we notice is parking comes at a premium. It was in a strip of restaurants, shops, and bars so I could understand that. The atmosphere was like sports bar, TV all over the place and kinda loud. Service was on point. We got our order timely and all at the same time (There was 6 of us). I got the braised short ribs on grits. My wife got some kind of bowl. (I'm sure she will make a review also! She wants to be just like me.) The ribs were cooked perfectly and prepared in a nice presentation. The grits however lacked the homey, loving feel that I'm used to. The Latin flare on southern cuisine didn't quite work for me. There was just too much going on. There were spices that were over used and over shadowed the flavor of the beef. Grits were rather bland but the spicy sauce helped them out. Would I go back again...Meh. If I do, I will get tacos. Foodie rules, never got to a steak house and order fish, never go to a seafood place and order chicken, and never go to a taco place and order short ribs and grits! read more

Babalu - Braised short ribs on grits - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Despite being told to wait an hour on a busy Saturday night, my group waited maybe 30 minutes. The chips and salsa were phenomenal, and I recommend ordering the tableside guacamole: I did not know I would be ordering an entire experience. I ordered the Al Pastor, Pork Belly, and Short Rib tacos. All were pretty good, but the amount of sauce and salsa overpowered all other flavors, making the tacos soggy and easy to fall apart. The tacos were reasonably priced, and they were more filling than I expected. read more

Babalu - Short rib taco - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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We had the best time!!! amazing service, food, and of course the margs!!! ask for Brooke -- she's the best!!!!

Had such a pleasant time with olivia! She is such a sweetheart! Made us feel so welcomed and special. Will be back just to see her!

Food was great! Service was decent. Our waitress never came back after taking our order. Food was delivered by someone else, who we had to ask for drink refills. 20% was automatically added to our group of 8. Should've went to the young man who brought out our food & drink refills. -Do not recommend the baked queso (flavorless) read more

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