We came on a Saturday right at opening (5 PM) and people were already posted up at the bar--which…read moretells you everything you need to know. The bar itself is intimate with about 8 seats, so get there early if you want one. From the outside, the place looks like a literal house, but once you step inside it's a whole vibe: low lighting, great music, and nonstop food and drinks flowing. The bartenders were amazing--friendly, attentive, and clearly know what they're doing. We ordered wings, fries, Brussels sprouts, and spring rolls, plus a spicy margarita and French 75s. Every single thing hit. The food came out quick, fresh, and piping hot, and the drinks were perfectly balanced. By the time we left around 7 PM, the place was completely packed. This spot fills up fast for a reason. Can't wait to come back and work our way through more of the menu. Highly recommend--this is a must-visit.

Swamp Bar has the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay awhile. The vibe is great, there…read moreis plenty of seating, and the inside DJ keeps the energy going. One suggestion: the front patio could really benefit from some music. Even a low-volume speaker tied into the DJ's system would help create the same experience outside without disturbing the neighborhood. The biggest challenge is parking. Street parking is risky, and several visitors have learned the hard way that tickets are easy to get. Save yourself the headache and use the parking garage across the street for about $4. It's worth it compared to a $25 parking ticket. Unfortunately, service was the weakest part of the experience. The staff appeared overworked, overwhelmed, and likely short-staffed. While that is understandable, the customer experience suffered. There was very little interaction from greeters, servers, or bartenders. Guests are instructed to wait to be seated, but there was little guidance, communication, or assistance. Long waits and a lack of acknowledgment made the visit frustrating. Food was mixed. The wings and fries were excellent--so good they disappeared before there was time to take a picture. The spring rolls, however, were under-seasoned, slightly overcooked, and only two come with an order, which felt disappointing for the price. The dipping sauces helped, but the filling could have used more flavor. The standout of the night was the Smash It cocktail. Made with Suntory Toki whiskey, basil, lemon, simple syrup, and an absinthe rinse, it was refreshing, balanced, and absolutely delicious. Easily the highlight of the visit. Would I return? Yes. But next time I'll go with adjusted expectations: eat beforehand, enjoy the atmosphere, grab a cocktail, and consider anything else a bonus. Pro Tips: Order the Smash It cocktail. The wings and fries are worth trying. Park in the garage across the street. Don't expect fast service during busy times. If you're hungry, have a snack before you arrive. Great atmosphere and cocktails, but service and parking keep it from reaching its full potential. With better staffing and a little more attention to guests, this place could easily be a 5-star experience.

Dinner at Porch and Parlor was wonderful. I have heard a lot of people say this is their favorite…read morerestaurant in Memphis. The food was great, and the service and ambience were fantastic as well, especially for our larger group. They also have a fantastic Whiskey selection. What I ate: Apps Bacon Rack 7/10 (Good, but a one time thing) Deviled Eggs 8/10 Fried Green Tomatoes 10/10 Main Cup of Lobster Bisque 9/10 Oxtail and Scallops 9/10

A great place for a celebration and a good meal! We sat on the enclosed porch and it had nice views…read moreof midtown, and wasn't too crowded. The restaurant was clean and service staff was very helpful. They answered all our questions and went above and beyond to make our celebration special. The A5 Wagyu Deviled Eggs were amazing - and your server prepares the Wagyu in front of you. It was a fun touch! Our steaks and sides were cooked to perfection. We even had some to take home to relive the dinner. Dessert was prepared fresh and did not miss a beat. The molten cake was rich and creamy. The brûlée was smooth and beautifully presented. Cocktails did not miss. The bar is full service and stocked with whatever your heart desires. We stuck to the menu with our dinner cocktails and loved them! Our dessert cocktails were balanced and just what we needed to end the night. Overall - lovely place. Great experience here with the meal and staff. I would recommend going if you're looking for an intimate steakhouse experience.

If I were to really put the time and effort into understanding and then describing my favorite…read morekinds of places to eat it would tell a story, and that story would likely end up sounding like The Second Line feels to me. I feel like this place embodies the essence of my inner peace somehow. It was born as a overflow bar for Iris from the lore I hear. To me, as I see it, this place became Chef Kelly's escape to reality as far as food, atmosphere, and service are concerned. I think this place presents his personality in his relaxed more chill version. If you have ever been to Iris, specifically, when it was next door, you would understand what I mean. When it was the tiny place it had some kind of pretentiousness to it that just turned me off. I only ate there once. It would take weeks to get a reservation before he moved it and the constant limelight had to be a lot of pressure. This place though.... I could come here three times a week no issue. In fact, I actually wish that I could eat here three days a week. Second Line is moving soon. They are going back to being next door to Iris in the newer Laurelwood location. In some ways I wonder if Chef needs that jovial comfort of a place next to Iris to keep him grounded. I do hope the charm of this is somehow transferred, but looking out the windows into Cooper the last time I was here Dec '25, just will not be a possibility in that shopping center it's headed to. That will be lost. He's a great guy! Hell of a Chef! World class employer! Tremendous philanthropist! A leader in the City of Memphis! Please go support him in the new location. Now.... All that BS and I ain't said shit about the food and why I like this place so much. If you scroll through my photos you will see almost every dish that has ever been on the menu here. Some are fantastic! All are very good! I have had nothing but great food here for many years! I have only had one bad meal here. Catfish Picante and it is long gone it seems! I wrote a long ass draft I never published (thank god), after that visit. I do believe it was my first time here and I almost didn't return. What a waste that would have been. My favorites now are Sweet Heat Oysters, Chicken Livers with pepper jelly, that lobster knuckle sandwich from waaaay back, spinach Madeline, and of course... the Red Beans and Rice. The desserts are always killer as well. I guess I'll catch you at the new place soon! Love you guys!! '25 - Finale

Update: The location of this restaurant has changed and the new location seems like it has lost its…read moreambience. No longer does it feel eclectic and unique and there's no outdoor seating at all. The menu is the same as before and the food is good. The brunch menu is pretty limited and so is their selection of beer, so that's worth noting if either is important to you as a potential patron. The service is good overall.

Always delicious. Came on a Sunday night so it was more chill. Quick service. We had the Acadian…read moreCatfish plate with a nice sauce and corn and green beens and the Shrimp/Crawfish Étouffée with rice. Both plates were solid. Definitely recommend. Also the Cajun Shrimp/Chicken pasta is a solid choice as well. No picture but also the Seafood Parmesan dip very tasty as well

I grew up around Creole and Cajun Food my whole life. And living in Memphis I don't get it as often…read moreas I did growing up... Leading to the cravings. In retrospect I should have just driven to Deja vu, in fact .... Looks like I'm going to have to do that soon and from here on after. As a bar Bayou does its job ... It has put forth an effort to appear slightly as a Dark Louisiana bayou bar. It doesn't quite hit the mark ... But it tries so they get props for that. The space itself is roomy and when we went pretty vacant. We grabbed a table and eagerly waited to be brought a menu ... Because it was about two and this chick was starved! We watched two waitresses Walking around the spacious dining area between the four tables that actually had people at them. We watched and waited ... Smiling and suggestively nodding as in 'bring me a menu please before I start gnawing the table' kinda nod. We where acknowledged several times and finally one of the waitresses said 'be with you in a minute'. This minute was more like ten. Finally we get our menu and drink orders in... I asked if the shrimp and grits had any meat in them and just had seafood ... I was told no just seafood. We ordered the flight of soups as we wanted to try them all... My sister tasted the duck and chicken gumbo and nearly gaged. Their seafood gumbo was ok.... Definitely not the gumbo I grew up on but it wasn't terrible. I suppose if I where placed in a situation where I had to eat something from Bayou ... Or DIE... Well I would eat the seafood gumbo. The seafood bisque was ok... Again not terrible but not particularly tasty. The red beans .... Horrible. Sister said the Gator chili was decent and the only thing she would ever consider ordering again though containing very little actual gator meat. I ordered a half dozen grilled oysters. According to the menu they where to be toped with shrimp cheese and louisiana mirepoix. Oysters came out with no grilled flavor drowned in some sort of cream and cheese .... No shrimp ... Not so much as an onion in sight much less a mirepoix! I had ordered the shrimp and grits as I had been told there was nothing but seafood in them .... Boy was that a lie. I fished out six smallish shrimp and ate just them. My sister had the Jambalaya. It consisted of tiny little salad shrimp chicken and slices of sausage and a strange flavor which she finally isolated to the actual sausage. We grew up on aundouille sausage ... In fact our uncle makes it occasionally. Whatever that was in the jambalaya they where calling aundouille we are not totally convinced it was ... And my sister said the bad flavor was conning from the fact the sausage tasted spoiled. Needless to say ... She did not eat more than a few bites of the jambalaya. So there we sat with huge bowls of uneaten food ... Empty water glasses... And all our other plates (from the soup and oysters) crowding our small table. I was never asked if I'd like another beer ... No offer to remove plates... No water refill. In fact our waitress practically ignored us and had to be flagged down for anything. My sister optimistically wanted to try the bread pudding .... I warned her ... But she did it anyway. I tried a bite. It was terrible. My sister being of the more steel stomach type (and her side was covered in Caramel sauce) ate several bites before she made this funny face ... 'This is freezer burnt!' I just said 'I told ya. I can't believe you ate even that much!' It took forever to get our final bill for a table full of practically uneaten food. Then to top it all off ... We both got a little sick. And as we had not eaten anything else that day ... Other than Bayou. In the middle if this review I decided that one star was really an unfair assessment .... In this case zero stars would have been generous. I suppose if you are just wanting to hang out at a bar .... It would serve that purpose.... Maybe they should just remove 'Grill' from their name altogether ... And do us all a favor - stop serving whatevet that is they are calling food!

Just depends on what you are in tbe mood for and how far are you will to travel to get.. this was…read moredefinitely out of the normal area, I'm in. I was actually referred to this establishment by a friend. I think she might have discovered on TikTok but here we are.. I think what drew us,was they were opened kinda late.. The bags are stuffed. They look and smell delicious . The flavors were on point,didnt miss.. n the seafood wasn't over steamed. Sweet meat is what I call it.. After you.eat all dem seasonings and finger licking. They sell alkaline water by the liter, by the case. Help yourself to wellness. Sorry,ion what happened to my pics

I love the food here--it's always seasoned really well. I usually go for the crab boils. I'm not a…read morefan of the sausage they use, but the crab is always on point! It may look like a hole in the wall but don't let that stop you! The food IS bussing. I'm giving it 4 stars only because they don't provide gloves, bibs, or anything to help you stay clean while eating the boils. Other than that, the food is a 10/10.

Had dinner here a few weeks ago and I still can't stop thinking about the smoked salmon tostada!…read moreThe starters were definitely the highlight of the night -the calamari, salmon tostada, and fresh guac were all incredible. We also tried the Thai tuna roll and coconut shrimp rolls, which were delicious. The sushi did have a thicker layer of rice, so we were pretty full afterward, but the flavors were well balanced. I was especially surprised by the addition of macadamia nuts in one of the rolls, but it added such a great crunch and paired perfectly. We also ordered the street corn and yuca frita which were excellent, especially with the delicious green dipping sauce. To finish, we had the tres leches cake, affogato, and torta de chocolate. The flourless chocolate cake literally melts in your mouth. Overall, we had a fantastic experience and will definitely be back soon!

Briza Restaurant delivers a modern dining experience in Crosstown Concourse with a menu that leans…read morecoastal, blending sushi, seafood, and Cajun-leaning flavors. The space is sleek, aiming for elevated coastal dining in Memphis. I recommend making a reservation on Resy or calling ahead by phone. The parking garage at Crosstown Concourse is convenient (the first floor is free for the first two hours, and the other floors are free at all times). There is also street parking available around the area. Upon entry, the hostess stand is immediately to the left, with an open kitchen and a small bar directly ahead. The main dining area is spacious with widely spaced tables, and there is also an outdoor patio. FOOD: 1. Coconut Shrimp Roll (4/5): It's a solid execution with a nice balance of sweetness and texture. The coconut adds a subtle crispness without overpowering the roll, and the seafood flavor still comes through. It's not overly complex. 2. Calamari (4/5): It's lightly fried with a good crunch and not greasy, which already puts it above average. The seasoning is balanced rather than heavy-handed, and it works well as a shared starter. 3. Cajun Ruby Trout with Coleslaw (4/5): This is the most cohesive dish of the three. The trout is well-cooked and lightly seasoned with a Cajun kick that doesn't overwhelm the fish. The coleslaw adds a cooling contrast that keeps the dish grounded. Overall, we enjoyed our time at Briza. Our drinks never reached the bottom before being refilled, and we finished all of the food between the two of us. Would I come back? Yes.

Babalu continues to be one of my favorite spots in Memphis. Every visit reminds me why I keep…read morecoming back. Great food, creative cocktails, and a staff that goes the extra mile. The lamb sliders remain my go-to. They're consistently juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly every time. Paired with the crispy fries, it's a meal that never disappoints. This visit, I ordered a Sidecar, but the bartender didn't have every ingredient needed for the traditional recipe. Instead of saying no, they created their own twist--and it was absolutely delicious. Sometimes improvisation pays off, and this cocktail was proof. The salmon was also excellent. I ordered it prepared the original way instead of the new menu version that includes Brussels sprouts, and it was exactly what I was craving. One of the highlights of the visit was an unexpected surprise from our waiter, who brought us a sample of their avocado ice cream. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was creamy, smooth, and surprisingly delicious. It was a thoughtful gesture that added to an already great dining experience. The only disappointment? They no longer offer the flight sampler. I was genuinely sad to see it gone because it was one of my favorite ways to experience several menu items in one visit. Overall, Babalu continues to deliver excellent food, attentive service, and outstanding drinks. Even with the flight no longer available, it's still one of my top recommendations in Memphis. 5/5 Stars - Consistent quality, excellent hospitality, and a place I'll gladly keep returning to.

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

I had not been to the Cove in many years. I really like the…read morevibe. Nice bartenders. Great alcohol collection, awesome patio. When I get back to Memphis I will stop in again.

Great service, amazing food, the most fun bartenders you'll ever find. My friend and I came here…read morethree times on a girl's trip weekend. Also the cocktails are way better than one would expect for a pirate themed bar. Truly outstanding cocktails.