We were so profoundly disappointed by this place, do not let the positive reviews fool you. The service was terrible, the food was inedible - the pork chop was undercooked and the scallops were cold and congealed - and when we complained the manager came out (older woman with short hair) and was so rude and told us that this was their "standard" and if we didn't like it we didn't have to eat it. We've never heard such rude words from a manager before and couldn't believe that she wouldn't just apologize and make it right. DO NOT EAT HERE, it is not worth the price or the long wait for below mediocre food, there are plenty of other, better places in Memphis. read more

We were very excited to see the new space and menu. WOW! Dare I say I like everything better?! We ordered the andouille toast to start, the gnocchi, cod, and shrimp and rice. Finished with a lovely sweet potato dessert that was perfect for fall. Excellent service, perfect flavors and more than enough food to fill us up. Highly recommend ordering a cocktail at the beautiful bar prior to dinner! The new space is gorgeous. Perfect for a special night out. read more

Took my first visit here for Valentine's Day and couldn't have been happier with my decision. As was stated before, the atmosphere is very elegant (we were comfortable in our nice duds), but laid back so much that we were having open conversations with surrounding tables and didn't feel the need to whisper. It was certainly helpful that I knew our server. The food was fantastic. Honestly, I thought that the appetizers and dessert might have out-shined my entrée (seabass), but there's nothing wrong with that. It's hard to beat oysters. And the homemade mint ice cream and brownie was pretty damn amazing. OK, to be fair about the seabass.... it was really, really tasty. I might have just been a little jealous of my date's scallops and gnocchi. So anyway, this was an extremely great choice for a romantic dinner... albeit it certainly cost a few dollars, but actually ended up being a little less than I was anticipating. read more

Who gave this place anything less than 5 Stars? I just wanna reach my hand through their computer screen and slap them myself! Amazing, Fantastic, Succulent, I can not even think of a word to describe this place and the food. It literally made this one of me and my husbands best Anniversaries EVER. The BONE MARROW...as someone said about it on Yelp,"Will Change your life" THIS IS TRUE! We had the 5 Course didn't know what you would be getting and boy did we get blessed. We got to try the Bone Marrow, Ravioli, bjuey Pork Belly, Veal, Scallops, and chocolate mousse dessert! Dang it I meant to take pictures but I was in such awe. I will be driving 7 hours back to this place at least once a year, God-Willing. If food taste like this Heaven i'm ready go! read more

Celebrated a birthday celebration at Restaurant Iris- and it did not disappoint! Our table was perfect and decorated with cute birthday swirls :) We started with the bone marrow and it was incredible! Luscious and rich. Not an everyday treat but a nice splurge. Our main course was the trout and the lamb- once again..... Nothing left on either of our plates! The service was impeccable and the meal was divine. I can afford to come here often but this will be a staple for those special occasions! read more

So this place I would normally give a 5 star review. They have natural herbs along with vegetables growing outside. The inside is so beautiful and the staff is great. My complaint is one that is important to me. The food is very high dollar. So I expect it to hit my table in the same aspect. Well I ordered the lamb and I love lamb. The first hair, I thought well maybe it's mine, the second one I thought the same thing. Then I found the third and my friend had to literally pull the hair off the crusted seasoning of the lamb. Normally I'd let this type of thing go since I have worked in the same food industry. I asked for my meal to be replaced. Which it was and it was great. However the bill comes and we were Charged full price. Comped? Nah I could see how they wouldn't fully comp it. But not even a discount. I couldn't believe it. Several hairs in our food. A female with long hair that very color brought my food to me. Now it happens and I assume people wash their hair but why not compensate for someone's meal being ruined like that. For a pricey place this is uncalled for. The air conditioners were also not working and we had to ask for fans because we were sweating so bad. I don't want anything from this other than y'all to do better. I already have social anxieties and don't like going out but am even more upset when service isn't provided in the manner I would see fit if I ran a high end restaurant in Mid-town. Hey read more

We loved it! Lobster knuckle was very good. Shrimp and Grits was spectacular and so was the Surf and Turf. Everything had tons of flavor. Our experience lived up to the hype as we had been planning our visit for months. Service was awesome and Chef Kelly English goes out of his way to make you feel welcome. read more

Restaurant Iris - Shrimp and Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Get your reservations made early. This is a destination restaurant. And for a good reason. I love specials. I figure you can always order off the menu but if it's a special, better try it. That's definitely the case here. If there's something fresh and interesting, these guys will find a way to make it amazing. Great food, service, wine list. Everyone's right. This place is amazing. read more

Why go to New Orleans when you have a five star cajun spot in Memphis. Rivaling any of the famous NOLA dinning establishments, Iris is delicious food served with a professional wait staff in a beautiful setting. We opted for a number of appetizers just so we could taste a wide assortment of food and all of it was delicious, especially the grilled shrimp in a barbeque sauce. I would highly recommend this spot for any folks coming thru Memphis and looking for a fine dining experience. Great food and very reasonable compared to New Orleans. read more

I've been to this place 3 times now with wife, can't really complain much on the food and service. I literally tried everything the menu has to offer. Service was good, wine selection was great, food is awesome. If I have to pick one thing that is bad about this place is that the seafood courses aren't really the freshest, but hey it's Memphis. read more

This place is the dog's bollocks! Loved it. Our server, Valencia, knew her stuff and made our evening memorable. Thank you!!! read more

This was our first stop after we checked in to our hotel. We were immediately seated and given food and drink menus. Soon afterward we noticed the table decorations and the fresh red roses. What a nice touch since we were there celebrating our friends' 37th wedding anniversary. After much deliberation we finally decided on our wine for the night and our first course. My friends shared the Brussel sprouts and the ravioli. Both were great. My friend and I shared an order of sprouts and a fried oyster salad. The sprouts were fine but the oysters were soggy from the over dressed salad greens that were mounded atop the oysters. The blue cheese dressing was good but caused the already soggy oysters to become further off putting. We all ordered the duck with root vegetable risotto and duck confit and roasted radishes. This was the highlight of the night!!! The duck was perfectly cooked and the veggies were delicious. After a less than stellar start to our evening, our final course was worth the price of the dinner. Our waitress was friendly and very knowledgeable of the chefs offerings. read more

Restaurant was very cold, too cold. The bartender auctioned off two glasses of wine, a no-no for an upscale/ fine dining restaurant. The server brought two courses simultaneously to the table, I had to ask server to bring one course back to the kitchen and keep warm. Noise level was good, music was great. Need to work on service. Cuisine was great! read more

We visited Restaurant Iris for an engagement celebration. We had about 17 guests and wanted to book a room but the minimum required to get the room was too high considering that many of our guests didn't drink alcohol. However, based on the attractiveness of the restaurant (in an older house) and the interesting menu we decided to simply book a couple of large tables for our reservation. This worked out because we ended up getting an entire room in the house to ourselves anyway! We had one server whose sole responsibility was put room and she did a fantastic job. The hostesses are very nice and the restaurant is quite welcoming. There is beautiful landscaping and just a warm homey feel to the place. The chef is heavily influenced by New Orleans style cooking but primarily uses it as a springboard for a nouveau American cuisine twist. The menu appears to be made daily. Dinner starts with an amusee bouche. This is always a great way to start a meal at a restaurant that puts the food on a pedestal. Seems like more places should do it considering it is not expensive in cost. There was a foies gras pate, excellent. I had quail which was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. The desserts were amazing. I highly recommend Restaurant Iris. read more

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Wow. Such a pleasure to find a restaurant that is willing to take a risk with its diverse and creative menu in the south land and hit it out of the ballpark. Memphis is starting to become a little foodie town and Iris is leading the pack. Service is great and wine list is adequate. Try it your palette will thank you. read more

This prominent Kelly English institution in Memphis just underwent a major makeover, renovation and refurbishment. The news of this transformation was splashed across most Memphis media outlets with a lot of fanfare and publicity. Having been to the "old" Iris, I have to admit that adage "Old is Gold" holds true in this case. This midtown spot was our hangout to celebrate our wedding anniversaries, birthdays and special occasions. We loved the 5 course-surprise dinner of the previous years. The new menu has been reduced to mostly bland dishes/items. The cocktails are superficially overpriced. The decor and the compact space does look different with a contemporary/upscale feel as opposed to the Victorian elegance of the previous interiors. Service of the waitress was impeccable and astounding. But, overall, my wife and I were unimpressed this time around. I doubt if we will back again unless the menu changes! read more

If you've lived in Memphis, you cannot ignore the hype around this place, and I decided to check it out. To be honest, I had high expectations and hoped for something close to perfect, but these expectations were shattered into tiny pieces and flushed into oblivion. First, I'm giving this two stars, and not one, because they served one of the best bone marrow appetizers I've ever had. But the entree was so disappointing that my trigger finger is really itching to click down to one star by the time I finish writing this review. Reliving my dining experience through this review might just do that. I ordered the Surf & Turf, which is supposed to be their flagship dish. It is a new york strip steak, split down the middle, filled with fried oysters, topped with blue cheese sauce, on a bed of "other stuff." Normally, blue cheese brings out qualities in red meat that nothing else really can - like what cold weather does to coffee, or butter does to garlic, or sour cream does to borscht. However the blue cheese element of Iris' Surf & Turf was so dominant and pungent that it completely overpowered everything else on the plate. Earlier, I referred to the steak being laid on a bed of "other stuff" because I had no idea what it was other than some part crunchy and part mushy texture forced into submission by blue cheese. The steak appeared to have been cooked perfectly medium-rare, but that or whatsoever was the quality of the cut, was of very little consequence as it was drowned in blue cheese (I developed some sympathy for the steak, like it had been abused or something). Then of course the gimmick - stuffed with oysters. I could not taste the oysters (blue cheese), but could tell that one had arrived in my mouth every time my teeth found grainy mush. I try to avoid referring to something as tasting like vomit, because its too easy to do, but this actually tasted like vomit. Sorry. It just did. I do not think I will return because it so so expensive. I just cannot image experimenting with Iris again after being done that wrong. I've heard Kelly English has some good ideas, but my "Surf & Turf" experience conjures up the image of someone's partner who generally sticks to microwaved Lean Cuisines who for valentines day tried to be fancy and eclectic. No confidence. Somebody explain this place. F it, this place is getting one star. Any chance Iris will close up shop and open a bone marrow food truck? Hope so... read more

Fantastic. Before I'll even get to the food, I would be remiss if I didn't focus on the style. I stepped out of my Uber into one of the most well designed restaurants I have ever been to. It has that rare combination of good art on good walls. The beautiful light green walls make the space feel so open. You find comfort in the creaking wood floors that downplay the elegance of the establishment just the right amount to make you feel as though you were eating at the home of a relative despite eating on white tablecloth. The amuse bouche was delightful. It was a little bit of goat cheese that was fried and served with a jalapeno and lime aoli. I love goat cheese, so I am a little biased in how much I liked this dish but it was light and crisp and definitely the perfect amuse in that it was that one dish that gave you the desire to have more food. I went for the tasting menu and the best way I can describe it is using Michael Jackson's discography. Off The Wall: The Knuckle The knuckle is an open face sandwich that lands itself in between po'boy and lobster roll. The lobster itself was fresh and tender, and like MJ's first album this plate jumped out at you and said ok this guys got talent. The dish did have it's downsides though. Kind of like Off The Wall lacked authenticity. I'm going to say something very unpopular here. Yes "She's Out of My Life" is a great song, but honestly who thinks that he was singing about a love loss. You can hear pain in his voice but you can detect something there is not right. In much the same way, this sandwich lacked a little bit in the way of texture. You needed a bit of a crisp element that was suspiciously absent. The bread was toasted but you're left with soft bread against soft lobster with tasty aoili and nothing to provide a true balance in texture. Still it was a fantastic dish that tasted fresh from the ocean. Thriller: BBQ Shrimp The dish that you can't say anything bad about. This shrimp was done in a New Orleans style sauce that was absolute perfection. Upon my first bite I had to fight the urge to dive right in and put my face in the plate and act as though I was in a pie eating competition. It's like from the moment you hear "Wanna Be Startin' Something" , you don't just hear the music you want to dance and feel and be one with the music. Everything about this dish was great. Perfectly cooked tender shrimp a sauce that had a depth of flavor deeper than any ocean. It was thick and luscious without being overwhelming and I really wish they could bottle it up and take it home with me. The parsley on the toast ads a bit of brightness (I wish the dish would come with one more piece of choice). Bad: Bone Marrow The so called meat butter is rich. I'm talking Bill Gates rich. It was fantastic, it just didn't need certain elements, kind of like how MJ didn't need Stevie Wonder on that one song on Bad. Like the addition of that song, the brioche was a bad choice in bread. You already had richness from the marrow, and the bacon, you didn't also need a rich eggy super soft bread that basically doesn't stand up to the marrow as much as you want it to. Still all things considered a good dish. Dangerous: Lamb and Gouda Gratin The gratin in this dish was perfectly executed. Great knife cuts, awesome cheesey texture and was fantastic. The problem with the dish overall was the lamb itself. It was cooked well but somehow managed to be overseasoned and underseasoned at the same time. To much with the herbs and not enough salt. This kind of mimicked that time in MJ's career where you're like that is a great album, but dude you just got accused of sexually assualting a child. How do you come to terms with that. HIStory: Bread Pudding This was a definite throwback to a great dish that you loved from way back. On one disc you get straight to the point all the great MJ hits with not a raisin to be found in the bunch. Combine that with the addition of the caramel sauce and candied pecans give it that new feel that is the second disc on this album. I would be remiss not to mention the cocktails I enjoyed as well. One of them was so obvious I wish I would have thought about it. Imagine your classic Mojito, sub out whiskey for rum, ginger beer for soda water and add in a bit of mango juice. It's sweet but well balanced and probably one of the best sweet cocktails I've had and will be trying to replicate this summer. read more

I really enjoyed my recent anniversary dinner at Iris but this place is way overhyped. All the 5 star reviews make Memphis out to be this backwater town and oh my goodness its a fancy restaurant, best night of my life - no. The ambience is lovely, I love that its in an old home. I also love that the dining areas are in several rooms so it never gets too loud. Upon arriving I was greeted by 3 different people making sure my presence was noted and we were seated in a few minutes. On our way to our table we passed two trays of dishes and stuff crowding the hallway, a little surprising. Our table was decorated in the celebratory manner including the menu message, which is very nice. Our server seemed very busy at first but came to take our drink orders and welcome us. We had pre decided to do the 5 course tasting menu, I got the wine parings the bf got a soda. It took a while to get things going, luckily we had bread and water. Our reservation was at 730 and the first course came right after 8:15. As the crowd thinned throughout the night we did receive increased attention. The food: Amuse bouche: crab and corn salad 1st course: bone marrow and the eggplant dish, both great 2nd course: lobster knuckle and BBQ shrimp. The shrimp was too spicey for our taste but lobster knuckle was fab 3rd course: friend green tomato w/ mozerella and eggplant. We were both pleased 4th course: red snapper and the duck. Bit were very good, the sauce on the duck was very yummy 5th course: lemon cake and bread pudding. They were desserts so obviously good. Both our dessert plates said happy anniversary, nice touch. At the end we received the menus to take home, which I though was a very sweet gesture. It took a while to get our check and have the card run so we would up leaving around 10:20. People talk about this being an experience, it really just felt like a 3 hour dinner. So why not 5 stars like everyone else? While all of the food was good nothing blew me away, nothing that made me go wow, I need more of that, nothing I would return just so I could order. The ambience was nice but not any more so than I would expect at a restaurant at this price point. The service was certainly not bad but just lacked some polish - the staff looked more casual than I have seen at fine dinning establishments and while not impolite never have a warm, welcoming vibe. Call me a grump but it really bothered me that one of the staff members was resetting the tables that had cleared out - shaking out table cloths, clanking glasses and silverware and meanwhile it's not closing time and we are still eating our dinner. Excuse me for expecting to enjoy my $200 dinner without participating in the after hours operations. Even the special occasion stuff - rose, table confetti, menu seems routine - there were 6 tables celebrating that night and each one looked the same, they also no longer put names on the special menu inserts and obviously have a stack ready to go. Also, Chef English never made an appearance in the dining room. Overall beside the loud table set up and dirty dish hall clutter there was nothing Iris did wrong but it just also didn't feel right. I've felt far more attended to and enjoyed the food just as much at many a restaurant with 1/2 the price tag. Is Iris great? absolutely. But at the end of the night it's just a fancy restaurant. So calm down Memphis, there's plenty of fun ways to spend money in our city and this is just one of many options. read more

My husband and I are moving to Memphis from New England. On the hunt for great food in Memphis our friends found Iris which is a quaint unique house transformed into a restaurant with little nooks throughout. On arrival we had a glass of wine while they set up our table. The waitress filled us in on the tidbits of the menu that stand out above the rest. Alright now to the good stuff.... the ravioli. Braised short rib stuffing... need I say more. Floating gingerly within a smoky broth, the ravioli was filled with tender scrumptious braised goodness. Yum... The ravioli dough could have been a bit thinner but I can see how the meat would have busted through the center since it was a pretty good portion. My husband and friends had the foie done two ways, seared (didn't get to taste that. It was gone too fast.) Also a pate with a side of fried chicken livers. I didn't know what it was until after it was down my gullet. I actually didn't mind that it was the liver of a chicken which I would normally not eat. Whatever floats your boat. We also had the lamb and pork which was done to perfection. Oh forgot about the scallops! We ordered this dinner as a third course, which was a first we were told... I would recommend it as a dinner and do not share! They are too good to dispense! Desserts were great as well. We call them dough boys but the beignet was fried goodness as well as the bread pudding. The only thing I would say they should add is an espresso machine to finish it off. That would be my fifth star. They offered a French press coffee, but a little zing at the end of the night is always nice. Great job for food and wine's new chef of the year! Staff was great as well! read more

What a disappointment! I made the reservation at Iris for my wife and I and another couple over a month ahead of time, so you can imagine that the anticipation for such a highly rated restaurant left all us looking forward to a good meal. We arrived on a Saturday night 15 minutes ahead of our reservation, and we were seated promptly. When our server first made contact with us, she seemed very rushed and quite weeded (busy). We immediately inquired about the 5 course tasting menu, and we were told (in a rather rude tone), that due to time constraints, they only offer a 3 course tasting menu, and you must come during the week to take part in the 5 course menu---makes total sense right? While that disappointed our entire party, we mulled over the menu and started deciding on what to eat. I settled on an appetizer of seared Foie Gras and the Lobster Knuckle Sandwich, and my wife had the raviolo and Lamb Belly. The sauce served with the raviolo was so decadent, I had to stop myself from licking the plate clean. The Foie Gras was absolutely delicious, and the lobster knuckle sandwich lived up to it hype! For an entree, my wife had the Scallops with homemade cavatappi. It was disgusting. The scallops were not seared properly, and the pasta while cooked well, was accompanied by a pesto sauce that was poorly seasoned and did not pair well with the scallops. For my entree, I ordered the famous "Surf and Turf", and I ordered it rare. It was served to me at the correct temperature. Two others in our party ordered the same dish, and the kitchen messed up one of their steaks. He ordered it rare, and it was delivered medium well. By the time I was able to enjoy my meal, it was cold, as it took the longest time to attract the attention of our server and for the kitchen to "fix the glitch". The strip was delicious, the blue cheese sauce was so overpowering, it took away from fried oysters and the meat itself. The service - was awful. Only until we started discussing our intention to write a review on yelp did her attitude change. My friend and I, both had worked in the service industry, noted how "in the weeds" this server was, and her attitude was HORRIBLE. Aside from the issues that we had with our food, and the feedback we provided to her, we received no apologies, nor was any effort made to save our dining experience. Personally, I think that it was just an off night in both food quality and service, and maybe...just maybe my wife and I will return back to Restaurant Iris and try it again, but they have quite a bit of work to do to change our perception of this highly rate restaurant. read more

In honor of our 1 year dating anniversary, the BF and I made reservations at Iris as it seemed to be one of the best restaurants in Memphis. And we were not disappointed! Iris is in an old house in the Midtown area near Overton Square. We walked over and were led to the small waiting area in the back of the house and the hostess brought us menus while we waited. Our table wasn't quite ready, but then she came back and said she rearranged some things so we could go ahead and be seated. Yes! The dining room we were in was small with about 5 tables. It was quiet and intimate. Since it was a Thursday we not only had the option of ordering off the menu, we could also do the 5 course degustation menu. When our waitress came out to get our drink order, she asked if it was our first time there. We said yes and she said OK and then...walked off. Uhhh. When she came back we asked about the tasting menu and she sort of described it to us and was about to walk off again to let us think about it. We said we wanted to do that. She kind of was snippy...Oh, you've decided on that then...and walked off again. I'd say it felt...brusque. But whatever, because the food immediately started coming out. We had an amuse bouche that was kind of a bruschetta bite with bacon. MMM. Then the courses came out. We each had a mini lobster knuckle sandwich with tarragon and tomatoes, which is one of their signature dishes. It was buttery and heavenly. Next up was a salad course and both of us enjoyed it...but, you know, salad. The superstar course was foie gras for me (YAAAASSS) that came out perfectly buttery and smooth and the BF had bone marrow in a huge hunk of bone with Texas toast to spread it on. God, that was delicious. As for the dessert course, by then we'd had all that wine and all that food, but I will say that we both couldn't even talk during the course because we were too busy shoving it into our face. All the wine pairings were also on point and tasted perfect with the courses. During our meal Chef Kelly English came out and greeted us which was a nice touch. The food was on point, definitely worth the $105 for the dinner plus drink pairings and getting the chance to let Chef do his thing. I'd say the only thing that disappointed was really our waitress. Like I said, she was brusque. We were excited and wanted to hear more...about the Chef, the restaurant, the tasting versus menu, etc. She was not interested in doing anything except getting us out of there as soon as possible (or at least it seemed that way). She seemed to be slightly more interactive with the other diners (some decorations were on the table, perhaps an anniversary or birthday), but must have been a bad day for her or something because there was no warm fuzzy feeling...and I kind of felt she wished we weren't there. Well, it was the day that Prince died, so perhaps she was upset (as everyone was) or maybe her significant other was acting up that day. It didn't ruin anything by any means as we were there for the food. So definitely come to Iris to have some awesome food and get your reservation M-Th so you can do the tasting menu. read more

This place is amazing! My parents went in July for an anniversary dinner and came back raving. My dad jumped on the opportunity to take me and my boyfriend there for our close in date birthdays. It lived beyond the expectations formed by my parents glowing reviews. The wait staff is impeccable and genuine. It is obvious they have tried and love the menu and are exceedingly helpful with the menu and wine list. They were able to immediately guess a cocktail off of the description "was refreshing and gin based". I started with the raviola. The brown butter and mushroom sauce was savory and perfectly balanced and paired perfectly with the meat of the single, large raviola. My mom got the same oysters three ways appetizer she got in July because it is that good. My dad did the same only with the cornmeal crab appetizer. All delicious. I got the Surf and Turf off my dad's recommendation. It is a NY strip stuffed with oysters and has a blue cheese sauce. Even the little diced potatoes and bacon around it were memorable. Also at the table were the lamb and scallop entrees. Tried them all, all three were wonderful. Even though we were getting full, birthday desserts were a must. On our plates they wrote "happy birthday" in chocolate and had a candle. Very cute. I had the creme brûlée and a rootbeer float cocktail. The creme brûlée had the idealistic top and the best custard inside. Very smooth. The cocktail was too cool. Tasted exactly like a root beer float with just the smallest aftertaste of smooth vanilla vodka. Impressive. My mom got the Brandy Alexander and it was incredibly delicious. Chef English greets all his guests which is lovely especially since his food makes it perfectly clear he cares and is committed to deliver an excellent product. Our evening was memorable and Restaurant Iris delivered on every level. I will be happy to return for more special memories and fantastic dining experiences!! read more

After waiting for a long time -which is usually a good sign- we finally got in and expected an unforgettable experience. Even though the menu looked promising the result was not what I would consider fine cuisine. I simply don't understand the high 5-star ratings so I must be me. Service was good but the dishes were to 'rich' for my taste. Being that said, I'm might go back at one point in time to give it another shot read more

Came for lunch with coworkers. Very nice restaraunt and cool view of the kitchen from our seat! Food was great and the lunch menu was well priced. Will have to go back for dinner at some point read more

Just returned from Restaurant Iris. Charming restaurant by Overton Square in mid-town. The setting & ambiance were very charming in a renovated early 20th century bungalow. Our waiter was thoughtful and very informative. He knew the menu very well and made recommendations that reflected our tastes The Chef was just named the best new chef in America and the food met some high expectations. I had the Lobster Knuckle sandwich to start and Kobe beef entree. Both my wife and I didn't leave anything on the plate after any course. My only complaint was the Kobe was a little overdone given my request. I'll be back. read more

New favorite destination in Memphis. Great atmosphere, wonderful service, spectacular food!

I've joined the club thanks to my wonderful husband treating us to this fine establishment. The intimate setting and atmosphere alone make this place a true gem. It's like you're dining in someone's house as their personal guest. Everything on the menu is names something that I, personally, needed to ask a definition for... well, not everything, but most everything. I had the raviolo, maple glazed duck, and bread pudding with wines paired with each course. All of it was excellent. read more

You know at first I was surprised that I have never written a review of this place...but then it dawned on me that every professional critic in the world has basically reviewed this place so who am I to judge...but here I am anyway. We eat here all the time and the food is always great. read more

Without a doubt, this is an unparalleled fine dining experience within the city. Nothing even comes close. Chef Kelly has finally introduced genuine, world class cuisine to Memphis. This is the only place where you'll find dishes that are not only exceptionally prepared using the highest quality, local ingredients, but also with an amazing attention to detail and a creative flair that is simply not to be found at other Memphis restaurants. From the very first moment one walks into the charming Midtown house, the ethos of this place is unmistakably southern, but with a refreshing modern, impeccably professional atmosphere. Make no mistake though, this place is all about the food, and the environment just forms the very base of a foundation upon which Kelly builds this experience. The food is fantastic, the wine list is unusual and interesting, the service is charming, and all of this is quite moderately priced. A high ticket at Iris would be $150 for two. I can't say that about many so-called "fine dining" restaurants in the city. read more

We don't usually eat at 8:15 especially on a weeknight, but it seems that reservations at Iris are hard to come by. We met another couple for dinner and arrived a bit early. We were led to the closet-like waiting room and after 5 min or so we were asked for drink orders. As the drinks were arriving we were led to our table. The rooms of the former home are smallish and even though we shared the space with 3 other groups it was not noisy. Our server gave us a thorough overview of the menu and checked on us for our orders after a few minutes. She brought us warm rolls and an amuse bouche. Timing was fine since we were enjoying conversation. My companions all tried the lobster knuckle sandwich. I tasted the yummy sauce. My spouse said the lobster was ok. Our mains came next and I was pleased with my heirloom tomato salad. There were no larger vegetarian offerings, but there were a couple of starter items that were somewhat vegetarian and I assume that one could request meatless accommodations. The rest of our group got shrimp and grits and surf and turf. I was able to taste some of the sauces and accompaniments. It all tasted good to me. The spouse said it was not the best piece of meat he had ever had, but he did not leave any on his plate. He ordered the cookies and cream dessert and he shared a bit with me. I really liked the cookies. There are just a few beers offered (bottles). The rest of the drinks menu was extensive and our friend had a chocolate martini for dessert read more

I always say that anyone who doesn't think Restaurant Iris is the best in Memphis either hasn't been, or is an idiot. Chef Kelly English is a rare talent this city is lucky to have yet he will always make sure to visit your table, ask you how your meal is and thank you for coming. The service is always great from when you make your reservation until you walk out the door. The wine list is fantastic and the food is incomparable. The atmosphere is cozy and perfect for a romantic date. I really can't say enough good things about this place and I can't wait to have brunch on their new patio this summer. read more

Sorry friends, this isn't what it's cracked up to be. Iris has the intentions of a great restaurant but the execution doesn't match the price tag. My server was very nice and I feel there was no lack of trying to really nail it but the wine pairings were off, the foods were often slightly over cooked and over sauced. If I had spent $60 on the dinner, it would have suited the price... this was $110 for something that just didn't impress. read more

Iris is a great, cozy, intimate restaurant. 90% of the food I had was awesome. THE MUST GET: New York strip. Hands down my favorite entree. Dessert: banana bread pudding. Bar drinks are really yummy as well. I would come here again for those entrees. The new york strip is good to share for two people! Staff was great and friendly. The chef comes out to greet the table. Parking is not a hassle. Overall I would give it a 4.5. read more

The service was good, atmosphere was excellent, and food was good- not excellent. I have been told that this is the best restaurant in Memphis so my expectations were high. With only approx 10 items on the menu, I expected that each dish would be amazing and completely refined. The food was good, I was not blown away and I would not say it's the best in Memphis. Also, the bread that was served with the meal was highly mediocre. I expected an artisan bread served with the meal but a average beget was served instead. read more

Firstly, let me start by saying we're the average joes who spend $40-50 on a night out (meal & drinks) once or twice a week. For special occasions, we spurge. ---//FIRST TIME//--- We visited Restaurant Iris, for the first time - a year and a half ago for my birthday. We made reservations a week out and got an awkward early 5:00-6:00 on a week night. (It was a rush getting there, but better than being turned down completely.) Our waitress (the tall blonde) was amazing. She immediately asked if it was a special occasion and told us all about the food and restaurant. The food was amazing - we were stuffed and still had leftovers. The birthday dessert was an awesome touch and made me feel special. We thought it was worth the under-$150 bill and raved about our experience to many. ---//SECOND TIME//--- Yesterday was our three year anniversary. We decided a month ago we wanted to go to Iris again, We made reservations about 3 weeks out for a 8:00 Friday night spot. When making the reservation, no one asked it was a special occasion. (Looking back now, i guess we were supposed to blurt it out anyway.) ---ATMOSPHERE--- We arrived 10 minutes late (parking was a pain) and were seated immediately. The house to restaurant has a cozy and romantic vibe. It was just too crowded; 5 2-tops and a large party of 6-8 were crammed into a little room. It was loud. It was easy to get distracted and listen to/jump in other people's conversations. Not exactly romantic... ---SERVICE--- Our waitress (the brunette with glasses) asked if we had been before we said "yes", then she disappeared. Each time she came back she made the comment were "regulars". ??? (She never asked if it was a special occasion... we felt weird stating that we'd only been in once before and bragging about our three year anniversary.) She didn't educate us on much. Everything we ordered or asked about was "delicious" in her opinion. She spent very little time with us (I guess because she decided "we were regulars.") ---FOOD--- The food was great but not amazing. The portions seemed much smaller than our first visit. I had the lamb which I thought was advertised with eggplant and onion; the lamb I received had 15 peas sprinkled on top of it and a spoonful of mashed potatoes for decoration. I would've loved some vegetables/sides to go with the meat. My S.O. got the surf and turf - which had 3 pieces of shrimp. On a positive note, we really liked the homemade blue cheese. The meat was chewy and fatty - 20% of our plates were inedible fat. We were satisfied but not totally full. (We're both really light eaters.) We didn't have any food leftover. I was looking forward to the anniversary dessert, which didn't happen. ---BILL--- Since 1.5 years ago, it seemed the prices had increased. (Or maybe prices are higher on the weekend?) We split an appetizer and dessert, we each got an entree, and a lower-end (50% markup) bottle of red wine. With tax and tip our bill was nearly $200. We had just an okay experience. Restaurant Iris didn't make our anniversary special. (I realize part of that is because we never told them - but the staff never gave us the opportunity to.) For $200, I expect to feel special, be treated with outstanding service, eat amazing food, be completely stuffed, and have a buzz. None of the above happened last night. read more

From impeccable service to the absolutely amazing food, this place is a gem. Although there are several very nice, expensive restaurants in Memphis; I think Restaurant Iris may be the only one that actually gives you the FULL experience you are paying for. The venue is intimate without being dark and closed-in; and Chef English has created a menu with very developed flavors which are sure to please any palette. I am anxious to return so I can try more from her delicious menu! read more

Request a reservation ahead of time and forget about it during any major event, like the NBA playoffs. Even Tony Parker from the Spurs couldn't get a short-notice reservation here when the Spurs were visiting. The reputation is justified. The food is unique and of high quality. There is an excellent wine selection and the service is first-rate. The venue is small but European in style. When my colleague and I went on a Monday evening, we decided to to both go for the chef's five-course menu with matching wine for each course. In this case, each of us had a different item for each course with a corresponding wine picked by the chef or sommelier. Compared to prices for similar chef's menus in other cities, this is a bargain, although the price is going to be demanding for most people. Here is a sample menu that is pretty close to what we considered before letting the chef do the picking: http://www.restaurantiris.com/sample-menus/dinner-menu/ It's a once or twice a year special place. read more

I read the reviews and wasn't sure which restaurant we'd experience last night. Here's my advice: order several of the appetizers and share a main course. We enjoyed the knuckle sandwich, foie gras and oyster salad starters more than the pork and scallop dishes. Save room for the excellent bread pudding. We had good service and enjoyed the celebration dinner. read more

This is five star dining done right. I felt like a king with my queen by my side all night thanks to the wonderful chef and staff at Iris. They went out of there way to make our anniversary wonderful. The surf and turf and lobster knuckle dish are devine. My mouth still craves another bite a week later. Well done Chef English read more