Not a very wide or good selection of food. We ended up here due to everything else being closed. The waiter was pretty scatter brained. We had an emergency arise so I was unable to try the food so my review is based solely on energy and atmosphere. read more

Oh Babalu, my love. You can do no wrong. I finally got my hands on the street corn and talked everyone at my table into a shot of Don Julio (trust me, you need this tequila in your life) at a recent squad outing. Always get the guacamole and the queso, and any of their seasonal margaritas will always hit the spot. read more

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

What to get: shrimp tacos Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: sit down, group, happy hour Wait: 0 mins (Tuesday 5:45PM for 1) Parking: Parking structure, street parking The Experience: Another Tuesday means more tacos! Babalu's actually has a happy hour deal as well, but tacos are $2 all day on Tuesdays. Happy hour is from 4-6 and you can get cheaper drinks too. Sangria is sweet, but there's much more in a glass. I got the redfish, seared ahi tuna, and shrimp tacos. I think my favorite was the shrimp, which I got grilled. The others were fine, but didn't stand out too much to me. I guess I was suppose to get the guac, but how can you pass up Taco Tuesdays? The space is trendy and located in Overton Square. You can park in their parking structure behind the Square or try on the streets (which I have no idea about the rules). The structure has you pay right after you park for the estimated amount of time you'll be there. You can also do it by app, which is way more convenient (and used in other parts of downtown too). The dining area was pretty expansive, plus they had covered, outdoor seating as well. This is definitely a good place to go for happy hour with friends. Glad I got to try it this trip through Memphis! read more

Babalu - L to R: seared ahi, blackened redfish, and grilled shrimp tacos - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Oh Babalu, I have very mixed feelings about you! This is a tacos and tapas joint. My initial intention was to grab a light lunch and I saw the great reviews about the guacamole that Babalu makes table side. Well the guacamole definitely lived up to the hype! It was delicious and the best I've ever had! My drink (Notorious P.I.N.K. Margarita) had good flavor but I barely tasted the tequila in it. The baked Queso which was a disappointment. It was more like thick, melted cheese. We literally had to cut it with a knife to put it on the chips. The Crab Croquettes were pretty good and that's pretty much where it ended. We all tried various tacos and they were all bland..terrible execution overall! We ordered street corn but it somehow got left off the order. The server was quick to apologize, brought it to us and didn't charge us for it (which we appreciated). Whew! I was glad we didn't pay for it because it didn't taste like any street corn I've ever had. There was an oddly strong flavor of taco seasoning. For dessert, we shared the cheesecake bites. They were good but we didn't understand the dark coloring of it lol. So to sum things up, I'd love to return for the guacamole and maybe some of the tapas. However, the tacos are not their strongpoint. read more

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A group of us (9 adults, one child) had dinner at Babalu as a way to start a reunion weekend. We had to wait just over an hour for a table, but the hostess was very communicative and friendly, and was honest about what their seating limitations were. Once we were seated, we had a server who was great! He handled the needs of our group with great professionalism, such that we gave him an extra tip on top of the included gratuity, something that I rarely (if ever) do. The food and drinks were simply delicious! Of note was the best guacamole I've probably ever had! And the lemon berry (alcoholic) drink was dangerously tasty. This is a "must eat at" restaurant, for sure! read more

Love the guacamole and the Baba burger. Great patio at Overton Park location if you can score a seat.

We went during margarita monday ($5 regular margs & $7 baba margs)! The drinks were pretty strong, but delicious. The shrimp taco was my absolute favorite!! The others were tasty, but not as seasoned as I'd like. Our server was great!! The staff were super friendly! read more

Babalu - Tacos & Mexican corn - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Let me start by saying I am from Arizona so I know Mexican food. Let me also say that I am not ignorant to the fact that this place will probably not be authentic by any means. It wasn't. But I think that is what I enjoyed about it. The food they offer are incredibly unique and might make you question ingredients. For example, I ordered 4 of the tacos, but the one that struck me the most was the carnitas with a peanut slaw and chili sauce. It was strange to have peanuts, chili, carnitas, and some slaw all in one little taco, but it was oddly harmonious. I've never had anything like it and I appreciated that about this place. You don't get authentic here, but you WILL get unique. Also, the service is stellar and they have a good happy hour. Cheers! read more

The manager told a police officer that he could not have his duty weapon in the restaurant even though he said he was ON DUTY with their badge clearly visible. She waited until he had already paid and was leaving to say this. She made it very clear that police officers are not welcome at Babalu's. *Telling an on duty police officer he cannot carry their duty weapon in the restaurant (regardless of uniform or regular clothes) is the opposite of creating a safe environment for your restaurant. This also makes it so an on duty officer cannot eat here because you are not allowed to leave your duty weapon in a vehicle unattended. read more

Babalu is middle of the road in terms of Memphis eats. The table side guac is delicious and the street corn is tasty. The tacos are very average and the service is slow. It gets very crowded on the weekends and tends to have a long wait. read more

Amazing mini taco plate and table-made guacamole. The Overton Square location is in the old Friday's where I worked the patio, and that's a really cool place to sit and new again cool location! read more

We went to explore the midtown area as we are new to Memphis. We were originally heading somewhere else but liked the feel and menu of this place. We sat at the bar right away and the friendly bartenders took excellent care of us. We tried four different tacos and the red, white, and Rose sangrias that were on special for "Thirsty Thursday." The pork belly taco was really tasty, but my favorite pick of the evening was the fish. The Mexican street corn was good although I had expected it on the cob. Bottom line: cool atmosphere, great food at reasonable prices, and really tasty drinks! read more

Babalu's is a fun & upbeat restaurant located on Madison Avenue in the very scenic Overton Square. We arrived at noon and were seated immediately. We were sat in a booth (upon request) and greeted by our server right away. Wisdom (our server) was a delight throughout our entire dining experience. She was knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. She was able to answer frequently asked questions and even let my friends and I know about Margarita Mondays & Happy Hour for future reference. The food was amazing. I had the enchiladas of the day and was surprised @how satisfying they were. But my favorite ALWAYS is the table side guacamole. It's fresh and tasty, with add on's such as fresh veggies, bacon, & jalapeños. Babalu's - thank you, I will be back! read more

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

This place was nice. Located in midtown. They make the guacamole right in front of you so it taste very fresh. I would definitely recommend. The food was good. Tacos were on point as well. Good drinks, good music, all around a good time read more

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

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My wife and I love this place. Our first choice for date night! Favorites are the guac and the salmon with Brussels.

Absolutely terrible service and no desire to return...save your time and dollars and hit Applebee's instead. Server Summer does not care and will discriminate against all guys. It's such a shame because we usually tip over 100 dollars for good service. Food was cold and service was nonexistent. Get with the program Babalu or your doors will be closing!!!!! I have responded to the private email and waiting to hear back read more

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

This was the first time I'd been back here since I went in Jackson, MS 4 years ago. My friend and I of course ordered the chips and guacamole, which was made by a nice gentleman named Jermaine right at our table. Definitely get that just because it's delicious. The chips are better than any Mexican restaurant I've ever been to in my life...even better than Las Delicias'. Our server Alya was super nice and attentive. I could tell she was good at picking up on the vibes of the table and playing off that. It's small plate sharing style so my friend and I ordered one plate for ourselves and one to share. We shared the fierce shrimp which was pretty great. They were spicy but it didn't ruin the flavor of the lightly breaded and crunchy seasoned shrimp. Ya know like it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy. I ordered the steak on a stick. It sat above a cheesy potato hash mixed with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. The tomatoes were the perfect splash of coolness in a warm dish and added a great layer of flavor to the entire tapa. If I had to critique one thing, it would be that I ordered my steak medium rare and it was over-cooked. It's all about preference though. Although every single cocktail on the menu made my liver growl with excitement, I ordered the New Year special, a pineapple upside down cake. And it tasted exactly like that, but in a drink. The rim was encrusted with toasted coconut and added a fun refreshing layer of flavor to an already zesty drink. Overall, I had a great experience, enjoyed the food, the staff, and I'll definitely be back to try the rest of their drinks and tapas. read more

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I just love Babalu!!! The Guacamole is always fresh, the BaBa Burger is absolutely amazing and I live for Taco Tuesday at Babalu!!! read more

Babalu - Baba burger!!! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Stopped by and ordered a to go order of food and was charged "20% gratitude TOGO" without my approval (never agreed to this) and its annoying, I didn't feel comfortable arguing about it with the bartender but that is really disrespectful specially because all I did is order something to go. Leave alone charging me without even asking. read more

I came here with good company and had a fun time so I think it made the food taste better than it actually was, even though it was good. If I had to rank what I liked most about Babalu, the first would be the vibe here, followed by the cocktails, and then the food. The happy hour deals look pretty generous and I would definitely want to come back to try them out. I'm not a huge fan of guacamole, but I will say that I appreciated the extra flavor that Babalu's guacamole had, and the live demonstration at the table was a nice service touch too. I tried 3 different tacos, and the steak was probably my favorite and most memorable because it had best bold and well-rounded taste. The other tacos were just A-ok but I disliked how easily each one fell apart. read more

Hands down!! This is probably the best place to try Guacamole!!! Wow!!!if I were to go back to Tennessee, Babalu would be the place to go to and I highly highly recommend trying their food!!! We had a group of 25-30 ppl going to Babalu and the space was already reserved!!! Really nice place and organized! Staff are wonderful!! I saw so many good things on the menu as well as on Yelp!!! Guacamole really looked good and decided to try it!! So I tried their guacamole, veggie burger and salad with salmon... everything was phenomenal and I wanted to eat so much more bc it was just too good to pass. then for dessert, we had cake, it had some alcohol with it and blackberry on top... that was soooooo good... It was just amazing read more

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

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Loved it. Food was great. Drinks were great. Service was great. This place is what it is. We saw some people come in who were dressed to the nines who maybe thought this place was something else. read more

There's not a hell of a lot when it comes to post 9pm options in Memphis on a Monday that I know about, so when I landed the other night, I figured I'd return to Babalu for simple grub like rice and beans. Unfortunately, I learned that there's not much in the way of vegan options at Babalu after all. Like the rice is made in chicken stock. And the black bean burger has an egg white wash on it (I already had figured the roll wasn't vegan because it's a sweet roll but I thought I could have the burger plain). The waitress seemed kind of stumped but kindly went to the kitchen and relayed all information back to me. I opted for the black pea hummus and chopped salad like I had last time, but this time both items were really disappointing. I'm a salt fiend. I put salt on my salt, but damned if that hummus wasn't so overly salted that I gave up after a few bites. Besides that, the amount of garlic involved could have kept vampires away for years. The salad was full of slightly browned lettuce and without the cheese, it's a pretty bland affair of lettuce, pumpkin seeds, black beans and tomato bits. It's doubtful that I'll return, unless I'm in the mood for tableside guac that I still have yet to try and a Champarita. It kind of blows my mind that in this day an age, a chain restaurant isn't up to date with dietary restrictions... read more

Some girlfriends and I went to dinner here on a Saturday night. The area of town that this restaurant is located is very popular and busy. There was a wait out the door just to put our names down. We were then told it would be a 30-45min wait. Our table was squished into a packed, loud room. We could hardly hear each other talk across the table from each other. It was my first time at this restaurant so they gave me the rundown that food comes out as it is ready. We each ordered a couple of items. I got the black eyed pea hummus since I wasn't very hungry. Me, being a picky eater, didn't mind it. I like hummus so I wasn't too worried, but I don't normally eat beans, peas, or any kind of bean dip. It wasn't as flavorful as actual hummus, kind of bland, but I added some salt and it was fine. My friend and I split a pitcher of seltzer water and you get a choice of three additives for flavors. We thought this was the coolest thing! I have never thought to do that as drink option and now want to do it at home. One of my friends ordered guacamole. That was fun to watch them prepare at our table. In the end, it was good food and a fun experience. I don't know that I like how the food comes out as its ready. We ended up getting too full and forgetting we had more coming. read more

Babalu - Sweet potato fries, Queso, guacamole, and black eyed pea hummus - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

We came with a party of 10 for my daughter's 16th birthday. Our food and service were top notch! Lizzie was outstanding!!

I ordered 4 different tacos (duck, shrimp, pork belly and short rib) and the Frozen Juke joint juice. The tacos were good. I liked the pork belly the best. They all were topped with the same cabbage slaw. So, each tasted very similar. The Juke joint juice was very tasty and went down easy. I like the variety in their menu and definitely want to try something new like the Benedict next time. A little pricey but definitely tasty food and creative drinks. read more

This is one of my favorite places to eat! The staff is also nice and the atmosphere is great. The food is delicious and the drinks are amazing. Waitress Stephanie F. was really helpful and has great customer service. Definitely looking forward to her serving us again! read more

We had a great experience at Babalu. We were just in Memphis for the night and my wife wanted something small so we figured tapas would be good. The area of town the place in was great and definitely a spot I'd like to explore more. We did the guacamole at the table to start and it was some of the best guacamole I've had. They added sun dried tomatoes that added a semi sweet taste, then we got bacon and jalapeños to add an even better taste. I ordered the 3 tacos, 2 chicken and 1 chorizo, which equaled 3 delicious tacos. I tried some of the mushroom tapas, excellent, as well as some of the cilantro lime rice and Mexican street corn. All of the above were great choices and one of the better meals I've had in a while! Definitely recommend. read more

This is the only guacamole I have ever eaten. All other guac just is gross. This tastes more like pico de Gallo in it and then of course the added jalapeños (and bacon if you want). The veggie tacos are *chef's kiss*. read more

TABLE SIDE GUACAMOLE = BIGGEST RIP OFF EVER. People would always tell me to go to Babalu, get the table side guacamole and sangria! Came for an early dinner and while the restaurant was mostly empty, had to wait probably ~15min to get a table (no one was there to greet us and then they had to clean the table). We were told what tapas were and promptly ordered a sangria flight and the table side guacamole-- we had the option to add jalapenos and/or bacon, I wanted jalapenos because that should be the norm. Our guacamole came and it was two tiny avocados, a pinch of salt, pinch of cilantro, splash of lime, sun-dried tomatoes, and seedless jalapenos. The sun-dried tomatoes were not needed and the extra spice from the jalapenos I wanted was lacking. We waited a while for our drinks and then finally was able to order -- again, the restaurant was pretty empty and we had to flag another waitress to get our waiter. Unfortunately, my eyes were bigger than my stomach and we ordered 3 tacos, ceviche, calamari, brussel sprouts and mexican corn. Honestly, they were all subpar. The ceviche was more avocado than fish. The tacos were disappointing (ordered shrimp -- there was still shell on it, pork belly (tasted asian), and steak). The brussel sprouts had a funky flavor to it and I normally love brussel sprouts but couldn't eat more than 4 of them. The mexican corn was alright but we found a glob of something and my boyfriend was dumb and ate it but he's ok and thinks it was cheese. The best part of the meal was the sangria flight. tl;dr go somewhere else or stay for the drinks read more

I love the avocado hummus, their sweet potato fries are very good, and my grilled shrimp tacos were amazing. I even splurged and got the truffles, which were also gluten free. It is a little pricey but worth it. read more

Babalu - Very nice Latin inspired restaurant - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

When you give a 3-star review, Yelp offers the corresponding "A-OK" description, and that is exactly what I would say about Babalu. It is a reliably solid joint in the middle of Overton Square. You can catch a decent happy hour (though there are better HHs in town) in a relaxed atmosphere. The menu has changed, and there is not much that I gravitate to at the moment. The hamburger has been good in the past, and a couple of their tacos were reliable go-to options. read more

Now THIS is an awesome addition to Overton Square. I am totally behind Babalu 100%. I wasn't quite sure what to expect walking up but the renovations are dynamite and I cannot get over how nice the staff is! I literally had 5 people who worked there say thank you and goodbye as I was walking out the door. Customer service goes a long way folks and they obviously know it. And the food? You gotta get the queso with pork belly for an appetizer. And you can't go wrong with any of the tacos. I had the cocktail of the day, Babalu 75 I believe and it was tassssttttty. Agave in a cocktail? This place is definitely doing more than one thing right. read more

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Came here for lunch on a Friday between 11:30-12. No wait but it looked like there was a wait by the time we left (around 1). Ambiance and service was great. All the food items were really good. We got the guacamole, filet on a stick, shrimp and grits, broccolini with goat cheese, and cilantro pepita rice. Portions were perfect for 3 people. Guac is made fresh at your table side. Sides were not the stars of the meal but really good on their own. Filet was extremely tender and full of flavor. Loved the sauce and mushroom flavors with the shrimp and grits. Filling but not heavy lunch. Would definitely come back again! read more

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I. LOVE. BABALUS. This is such an amazing addition to our midtown / overton square family! I am SO glad that they're finally open and I had the chance to dine there this afternoon. Its my prerogative to always begin my reviews about the Food, because what else do Yelpers care about?! But I simply cannot overlook the initial first impression of the space: Babalu had couture-design and tall ceilings with space that gives this place its uniqueness. Their service was absolutely spot-on and amazing (never had better service anywhere else in Memphis, EVER), and their ambience was sublime! Okay, Food: HOUSEMADE GUAC - The *super amazing coolios* thing about the guac is that they make it right in front of you!! They have someone come with the fresh avocados and all the ingredients and let you know whats going in it. If you don't like onions in your guac, say no. If you dont like the red pepper paste, just tell them no thanks. But I opted for everything because I wanted to see what they had to offer. I will have to say this one thing; I absolutely hate avocados. like literally i never eat anything associated with avocados. But since this was their signature "app" thingie and I wanted to give it a try, I tried it. and IT DID NOT FAIL ME! Honestly guys, this guac is amazing!!! And add points for them serving it in the cutest little Guatemalan-like mortar. FLASH FRIED CALAMARI - I know all yall are judging me for ordering the calamari. but it's one of those few staples that can't go wrong. And they didnt! This is a solid app to order. What's different about this, is that A. it comes with flash fried red pepper strips, and B. the dipping sauce they make with it is sooo gooood. GARLIC ROSTI POTATOES with TERIYAKI GLAZE - Okay guys, I know I should've ordered the Mexican Street Corn, but how can you say no to all of the other unique side dishes on the menu?! These potatoes are by no means your average sized potatoes. They diced them into little cubes and sauteed them with teriyaki sauce with some cheese on top and seasoning. OH MY GAWD. THIS WAS TO DIE FOR. SUCH A GOOD SIDE. I would order it as an app next time. CARNE DE CERDO TACOS*** - Pork belly Tacos. Thats all you have to say. GET THIS or regret it. Your belly is going to turn into foodgasm heaven once you have a bite of these. They're on blue corn tortillas, which look crunchy but they are so flavorful and so soft. The Pork belly is cooked to perfection; so succulent and flavorful. It's topped with chipotle-citrus BBQ sauce, roasted peanut slaw, and cotija cheese. aka its topped with heavenly goodness. **PLEASE ORDER THESE YOU GUYS*** TORTA CUBANA - This is their take on the "Reuben." I loved it. It's made out of house smoked pork shoulder, black forest ham, pickles, sweet mustard bbq sauce (For those that hate mustard like me, the mustard isnt overwhelming at all; you can barely taste the mustardness of the sandwich), swiss cheese, on Gambino's French Bread. The bread comes out nicely toasted/panini-grilled, and the meats inside are all HOT and JUICY. Please eat this right away, or else you will lose the essence of this amazing pressed sandwich. TC TEA*** -The sweetest drink on their menu. The TC Tea was recommended by my server for being a bit on the sweeter side, so naturally yall know I had to get it. Its made out of Firefly sweet tea vodka, mint, lemon, powdered sugar, and sprite. SO GOOD! It's deceptively alcoholic, so drink cautiously and dont inhale it due to pure happiness like I did! I will definitely be slowly drinking my way through their drink menu! SERVICE - Like I mentioned earlier, their service was absolutely impeccable. Shout out to JC for being my right hand man and guiding me through the menu! Look out for him next time if you can. He was attentive, always answering questions, and so quick! That can also be said for the entire staff there as well! We never just had JC waiting on us. There was always someone coming around trying to clear our eating area and asking if we needed anything more. Everybody was friendly, willing to converse about the restaurant or your day, or the food. I love a place that has great service! There is nowhere in Memphis that beats Babalu in their service, hands down. I love what they're doing to the Overton Square area, and I love that Babalu's opened! Everybody get your butt down there for some delicious foodie meals! Sorry for the long review guys, but in all seriousness; It's finally open and I couldn't have been more pleased with the results! read more

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Another bookmarked restaurant gets removed from my list. I drive by this place almost every other day. I went for the baba burger and my lady got the grilled chicken satay. First of all, I know my hamburgers pretty well. The baba burger now takes a spot on my best burger in Memphis list. I'll be honest, once they said they liked for stuff to be shared here, I was expecting a small burger. These burgers are huge and oh so delicious. Everything on it was good. I was in heaven with every bite I took. Also got an order of fries. Probably the only fries I've ever ate that I didn't need ketchup with them. The chicken grilled satay wasn't really that good. If I was judging the review on it alone, 3 stars tops. It didn't really have a taste. I felt like I cooked it myself and that's saying something cause my cooking sucks. On the plus side, I've found myself a new burger to try again when I come back. read more

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Being new to the area, I was so excited to find Overton Square! This is such a cool little pocket of town. I was equally excited to visit Babalu. The atmosphere is awesome and I can't wait to visit on a cool evening to sit at their neat outside area. I like how the bar is opened to patio. Great design. They have a great food and drink menu. I love the idea of tapas, which is very popular where I recently moved from in California. Their tapas prices, however, are a bit pricey for a small shared plate. The braised beef short rib dish was amazing and definitely the favorite of the night. The red wine braising jus was the right topping to cover the nicely cooked meat over the perfectly cooked grits. The fierce shrimp was another choice of the night. I enjoyed the contrasting taste of the red chili butter sauce with the Shrimp and cilantro slaw. The shrimp or batter was a bit salty, so I enjoyed each bite to have some of the slaw and red chili sauce, which there wasn't enough of. I also tried the tacos. We chose the Ostra, Carnitas, and Pollo Tacos. I enjoy spicy, so I enjoyed them all...others, however, didn't enjoy the heat. The meat on the carnitas taco was a bit too dry, but not terrible. Although I am choosing not to let it count against the star rating, I am VERY unimpressed with the kid's options. My son ordered a chicken taco. When it arrived at the table (see picture I posted), it was merely a small tortilla with a piece of chicken, no cheese or anything! I had to ask the waiter to ask what it was. He wouldn't eat it. Because it was just $2, I didn't complain. The chicken quesadilla my other son ordered was great and the same price, parents take note of the better value. The only other option on the kids menu is chicken tenders, which we didn't try. Maybe this isn't a kids place, but if you are going to have a kids menu, put effort into it. Overall, it is a great place. I will come back and try again, maybe without the kids... read more

Babalu - Kids Chicken Taco...really? My kid wouldn't touch it. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Let me be clear: I did not go back to this crap hole. After I posted a negative review, describing my authentically terrible experience, Babalu contacted me and offered a gift card. They also offered contact information for the manager, Jason. I said since they reached out I would accept and give them a second chance--until I called and spoke with Jason. At first, he seemed ass-kissingly nice. But as soon as I started being honest and calling them out on their issues, he grew rude, defensive, and attempted to rave on about how "awesome" they are and how they're the busiest place in Overton Square. Dude, you've barely been open 2 months. We'll see where you are in a year. Also, I found it tacky he downplayed other nearby restaurants that have been in Overton Square for much longer. And they've been there longer because those restaurants have genuinely good service, quality food (not some cold garbage Babalu serves), and positive attitudes--Babalu, take notes! Babalu, please DO NOT contact me again. I am finished with your phony attempts at redemption and your sorry excuse for an "awesome" restaurant. Oh and Jason, I wasn't looking for a "calm place to drink wine at" but I don't want 5 drunk men hovering over my table as I attempt to enjoy my dinner--whether it's at the bar or at a table, and trust me, people at tables don't get rest from the crowd just like the people at the bar. Good luck on passing Babalu off as a "club" I'll be at Alchemy or LeChardonnay, enjoying my dinner. read more

Babalu... great job. I love that y'all are opening in Overton Square. The menu at the soft opening was not the full menu, but I was still impressed. We started with the Crab Ceviche and the Guacamole. I am not normally a fan of guacamole. This appetizer blew my expectations away. The flavor was great and had a little spice to it. The crab was fresh and very good as well. From there I had the Baba Burger with two patties. Hands-down, this is now one of my favorite burgers in Memphis. Moist patties, great toppings and a delicious bun. I will order this again, no doubt. We then tried some of the tacos: pollo and carne la vaca. both had a genuine smoke flavor to the meat, and the mole sauce set the pollo taco apart. As for drinks, I had the house Baba-rita. This is their take on the margarita. It has a sweet taste with a little zing from the POM juice. I finished my meal with the Praline Ole. Ladies and Gentlemen... save room for this drink at the end of your meal. Trust me. TC has done an amazing job with the cocktail menu. The patio looked beautiful. I am looking forward to utilizing that in the near future. I look forward to great successes for this place here in Memphis. Welcome to our city. read more

I love the vibe that Babalu Midtown has. It has a really nice indoor and outdoor seating area. It's such a nice place to have small meals and just sit with some friends and eat good food. Such an integral part of Overton Square. I got the patatas bravas (not pictured) and they were delicious - I can see myself getting it next time I come here too. I also had a short rib taco, it tasted great but the picked onions took over the flavor a lot and the $4 price tag was a bit high for a single taco in my opinion. My boyfriend got the crab cakes and he enjoyed them. We shared the spuds which are basically French fries and they were so good too. I really like when fries still have skin on them - it makes them seem really fresh. The guacamole is something you have to get from here at least once. The servers do it right in front of you and the flavor is always so fresh. I always have a good time at this restaurant. read more

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