Such a unique atmosphere! Chess club that also doubles as a coffee shop! I went in on a Thursday morning and they weren't too busy. I ordered an iced latte to go. The sizes are big! The coffee was very smooth and tasty. Prices are reasonable. They did seem to have some food options but I did not peruse the food menu much. The barista made my drink quickly and kindly. This spot seems like a great place to play chess (or other games for that matter) or to socialize. They do offer alcoholic drinks as well. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Yes Yes Yes to The Chess. I was visiting my granddaughter in Memphis for her graduation and I was staying next-door at the Vaco hotel next-door. We asked the concierge and she suggested two options of coffee shop and chess club. My granddaughter decided on chess club. When you first walked in the door, it's a nice cozy, rustic floor, wooden floor, and nice artifacts everywhere and the tables were amazing cause they were designed for chess players. There were some nice sitting comfort chairs and everything looked very historic like the Memphis area. They had an array of sandwiches and salads and pizza and coffees and desserts with the cookies and the brownies. If you just want to curl up and read a good book and have a snack, this is the best place. The service was fantastic. They were very accommodating and very patient with our incisions with all the fantastic choices they provided. Well, I ordered the delicious chicken sandwich and my granddaughter ordered the Smashburger. She ate that burger so fast I was still working on the lettuce. LOL the food was delicious. She ordered a brownie, and I had a chocolate chip cookie and they tasted homemade. She would barely give me a piece of her brownie to taste. So if you're looking for a very good relaxing, caring, engaging, aesthetically, pleasing, and great customer service. Even if you're not eating and you just wanna play chess or cards or any of the other games or books that they had available. Just come take a break and enjoy. I will be back when I'm in Memphis again. read more

It's basically got everything. Great coffee locally roasted, homade doughs for pizza and bread for sandwiches, brunch on the weekends, and it's the 2nd oldest chess club in the US. They get the home from the cafe they run, so they work really hard to make as many people as possible, as happy as possible. It's a really nice comfortable space. It's usually quiet where some folks use it as a third space, but sometimes there can be events and family nights and trivia nights and a nerd night. Really good cocktails are well made and competitively priced. read more

This is a cool place out by downtown Memphis. I've been here a few times for Chess lessons and even subscribed to their membership for a time. They offer great options for food and drinks! The vibes are very chill, suitable for study or lounging. At times they also have separate events from the usual chess games which is cool. Overall the service and experience has been pleasant throughout my visits. read more

I really wanted to like this. Walking in the atmosphere was very cool, great place to study. I'm sure the coffee is awesome, but we split a large club. And it was the worst sandwich I have ever had. I love it. The bread was totally stale, wet, and drenched in sauces. Our fries were cold and soggy. Fountain drinks were $5.50 EACH. Both the ketchup and the ranch were totally watered down. I would not be surprised if they did this to save money. Service was okay, more a coffee shop type service than lunch spot. They would find more success if they limited menu options and did those really well. I genuinely think our bread was 2 weeks old. read more

Chess club/coffee shop with lots of games and surprisingly extensive food menu. I was in the area and stopped in for a coffee. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but my latte was good. All of the tables have chess boards which is cool, and they had chess streaming on the tv. We just came for coffee, but I'd come back to play board games. It's $5 to rent games, which is reasonable. I wouldn't bring my own games to play there as it still $5 to play your own games. Next time I'll have to try the food! read more

This is a very chill venue for both working alone and meeting with friends. I've even been to a holiday party here. The food and drinks are superb too and the staff is friendly and accommodating. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Pumpkin Spice Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The Memphis Chess Club is a fantastic spot for all ages! We came in for a quick late lunch after visiting the National Civil Rights Museum, and it was the perfect stop. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a great selection of easy food and fast courteous service. They even serve delicious crêpes on Saturdays and Sundays until 2 PM! Neither chess play nor membership isn't required to enjoy the space - it's a wonderful place to gather, with an awesome wall of games and books. Our family had a blast and we'll definitely be back! Highly recommend! read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Nifty little coffee shop/cafe that doubles as a chess tournament site. My boyfriend and I both got lattes that we enjoyed! It's a super cozy spot that has lots of coffee and food options. read more

See all

I love this place it has all the things you need for a great game night. Not just chest. As well as a quiet ambiance to study or have a quiet conversation with friends. They have a great pizza and even better coffee. The service has always been quick and personable. I definitely recommend read more

Grabbed a late lunch at the Chess Club. First timer here, so a jaunt of novelty when considering between other quick Downtown options. Walking in, the interior is something I found myself pondering whether Memphis could have anything this nice/kitschy. It's expansive, it's well-worn (though not the best term for it; I mean that it's comfortable in an endearing, living roomesque kind of way), and it's relatively quiet. I heard "No I Can't Go for That" by Hall & Oates in the background...well played Chess Club, well played indeed. The food prep lady (I can't stretch this into "chef" when we're talking sandwiches and pizzas, I'll wind up complimenting the food shortly) was literally asleep on her feet at the high counter to the left of the door...it was 2:30pm, though, so who hasn't been there before. She said that the guy that worked the POS system ran to the bank...so...(I just stood there as if to say 'ma'am, as a vanguard millennial and a digital native, you make the sandwich, I'll ring it up') discretion and patience won out. She rang up the muffuletta and the house chips and got to her craft. The wait short, the food fantastic. The house chips are addictive. Thick cut, uniform, seem freshly fried (and occasionally a soft chip or two, here and there, think crispy edge with par cooked 'tatoe in the middle, every bit as good as the full cooked ones). The muffuletta wasn't a muffuletta. Olive mix was a bit thin, the bread was hoagie, there was lettuce...and damn was it good. This is a gut punch sandwich. A whole one, much like the traditional Nawlins round muffuletta, is not going to be eaten by the average, or even starving diner. I know. I tried. You're getting two meals- one to eat there, one to go. You've been warned. I'm not going to really try and pick out the parts: bread, ham, olive mix, provel, oil. Each contributed to the whole more than strike its own chord. This is a good thing, and perhaps a great thing with what Downtown Memphis has as far as lunch options go north of Madison/within walking distance of the courthouses. High recommendation. High likelihood of my trying to make 'regular' status (the last time I had that was Courthouse Deli circa 2013), lest the shame and guilt of my waistline amount to doing-something-about-it. Oh, usual blurb about 5 stars: 5s are unicorns, paradigm smashing. They exist only in dream until stumbled upon. 5s are never 4.5s that get round ups. These are your destination dining/serves a dish worthy of a last meal places. Chess Club is a 4.3. It's really good, it's unique, it's local, it's a delight without qualification. I consider this exceptionally high praise. For instance, Rendevous is a 3 star joint: good, standard, experience and ambiance being the highlights of standard culinary fair. So there's that for context. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Half muffuletta and house made chips - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

We came in on a rainy Sunday morning for brunch. To start off, I wouldn't suggest having brunch here and I think that has impacted my experience here. It's more of a coffee and snacks place. Not a full meal and definitely not a brunch like what we were thinking. If you're looking for a cozy spot to have a cup of coffee and do some studying this would be a great morning spot. It also seems like they would be a great casual hang for weeknights since they do have snacks and candy and lots of games, not just chess available. I'd like to come back for a date night but I think I'm out for brunch. read more

See all

The Chess Club is my new hideaway. I've always wanted to learn how to play chess and this is the perfect space to eavesdrop on games with enjoying a matcha latte. The food is pretty good as well, however, that is secondhand information for me. read more

Love the coffee, food and atmosphere! I sadly didn't find anyone to play chess with until I was about to leave and didn't have time to play, but perhaps I'll be back in Memphis when there is a chess event going on. read more

If you're looking for a nice ambiance to get some work done, check out the Memphis Chess Club. I think people do actually come here to play chess, there's an upstairs as well but there's a lot of room for people to do work or catch up for brunch. There's a number of books and board games as well. read more

See all

Cool place to stop by if you're in downtown Memphis! Extensive coffee and food choices! read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Vibe always cool I usually go pizza, this time though I went club sandwich and let me tell you something.... The pizza won't be seeing me again read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Club sandwich & fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Great spot to study with a good atmosphere. The coffee and food are great as well. Large drink and food menu, hard to go wrong with anything here. read more

We were paying customers. We didn't just come in and "grab a water". Also it needed no "set up" it was card. This rule should only apply to non-paying customers. No one wants to buy $20 worth of coffee and then be told it'll be an extra $5 if you want to play cards that you brought from home. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

One guy on Saturday. Not fast. Espresso drink was...superior to the green mermaid. Chess Club is a nice place to sit, play, and talk - or catch up on reading. But as stated - plan on waiting so don't come in starving or thirsty. read more

This is an ideal third space! Great drinks, good pizza, more games than just chess and very comfortable.

I like to stop by here when I'm in town. I love this area and I love the ambiance and history of this location. They really do play chess here, seriously! The aesthetic is very 1950s social club, with some modern touches. So lots of dark, carved woods, golds, etc. I usually order the breakfast croissant which had egg, cheese, and a meat (I left off the meat). It was huge and piping hot! That was made with real eggs, no powdered eggs here! And I usually get a latte which was very nicely made. I got my items in about 10 minutes and headed back to my car to get on the road back to Atlanta. What a nice treat on my way out of the city. By the way, Kids apparently eat free on Tuesdays? Check it out! read more

This is a hidden gem in Downtown Memphis. Great food and coffee drinks in a super relaxed and friendly environment.

Love the Memphis Chess Club! Great drinks, amazing pizza, and the best trivia in Memphis on Thursday nights!!

Loved this place! Stopped here for a quick bite and do some work. Pizza was delicious and the chia latte was amazing. Great place to go hangout with friends or work alone. Staff were super nice and welcoming! read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Greco Pizza - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I enjoyed my experience here. Memphis Chess Club is definitely a spot to visit whether it's to dine, work, and/or play chess! It's super spacious and clean; definitely welcoming and provides a chill environment. While there, I ordered Spinach Salad. It was packed with strawberries, candied nuts, craisins, avocado, feta, purple onion, spinach. Comes with one cup of dressing. I had the house made vinegarette. Everything was fresh and delicious! Cool Spot! read more

See all

Visiting Memphis for the National Veterans Golden Age Game (NVGAG). As I was looking for a coffee shop I ran into the"Memphis Chess Club". Not only do they have an awesome Chess Club environment. But they also have a great coffee shop with some really good pastries and food. I had a great welcoming by Andre who's a local customer. He saw me outside taking pictures and asked me if I play chess. He then brought me inside and very courteously gave me a tour of the Memphis Chess Club. I had a Cortado Coffee that Neiman prepared, not only did it taste good but it was beautifully made. read more

See all

I came here on a whim with my husband who loves chess. This is a great spot to study, read, or enjoy chess and other games with friends. The couches are cozy and the decor takes you back in time. I ordered an iced mocha on a dreadfully hot day and was pleased that it was mildly sweet, not overly. The guy taking orders at the front wasn't very kind, but I suppose he was just having a bad day? The only other negative was there were quite a few flies everywhere. Anyhow, it's a neat spot I'd recommend anyone check out. read more

See all

Went here for the first time tonight because I was looking for a hot drink and this was the only place open. The outside was super cute and I could see two family's playing board games at the tables through the windows so I had a good feeling about before I even walked in. Walking in the staff greeted me and my boyfriend and were super sweet, they asked us how our night was, and what we were up too. They ask if it was our first time coming in and were so friendly and helpful that even if the drinks were bad I would of went back, but the drinks were delicious. I got a chai latte with almond milk and it was delicious, way better than Starbucks, and my boyfriend got an apple cider, really apple forward but he said it was good. They also have a decently large menu, drinks hot and cold, pastries, snacks, and meals. Highly recommend a visit. read more

See all

Great staff, great coffee and the chess theme is unique! They talked with me about my options and gave me great suggestions!

I don't usually leave negative reviews, but we had been walking with coffee and decided to step in to see if we could grab a snack. We purchased a snack and were asked to wait outside. I could understand if we were just bringing in outside items to hang out, but we made a purchase. Won't be back to try the coffee. read more

A really cool spot! I have to get here more often. My friend got a delicious latte and I got a chai. It was a good blend between sweet and spicy. We got the game pass and played some board games. We went upstairs and it was a great experience. read more

Nice ambiance. Comfortable seating. Prices match those of most coffee shops. They have a large assortment of food, not just pastries. You could get an actual meal here. read more

Came here to get some coffee and seat for a while. I ended up eating the Nutella crepes, and order some treats also, cause I need carbs with my coffee. Amd I wasn't even hungry!! Nice place to chat with a friend or stop by after a walk around downtown!! read more

Great spot for a coffee and pastry. Also great for remote working . Food Service was a little slow given the place was empty . But otherwise had a lovely time there. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

They make a decent cappuccino. But... they add a tad too much milk for my liking. Scale it back and it would've been perfect.

I'm from out of town and was looking for a place to eat on Saturday afternoon. Came across this place. Nice environment but I wasn't impressed with the food. I ordered an 8-inch pizza and in my opinion, I paid too much for it. There wasn't much as far as toppings were concerned and the pizza was not flavorful. I expected something much better considering the inside of the place and price. read more

A very diverse place and menu. I have never been to a place where you can get pizza, great coffee, and play chess! Service was great and the atmosphere is what truthfully gives it 5 stars. read more

Great pizza, great beginner chess class, and great beginners tournament on Sunday. Liked the atmosphere and the people. It's downtown so you will need to pay for parking. read more

Memphis Chess Club - Cafe - a chess board and chairs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

A great hangout place, food is very good and the workers are super friendly! Also this is a great place to get beat by grandpas that have been playing chess for 40 years! read more