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    The Lobbyist

    4.5 (96 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Lobbyist Photos

    Business Info

    THE LOBBYIST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Upscale
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Lobbyist

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    Reviews With Photos

    Danielle H.

    Here again is another example on why I love the Michelin guide it never steers you wrong to a bougie restaurant and The Lobbyist is no exception. I haven't been to a crazy ton of restaurants in Memphis but I would feel fairly confident in saying this place is the top of what the town has to offer. Eventhough it was a rainy day we sat outside on their patio that was covered. The waitress was awesome- kind, considerate, and attentive. The food was displayed exceptionally! It looked high quality and for the most part it tasted it. Why not 5 stars then? Unfortunately my steak was a bit of a disappointment. It was flavorful and it looked medium rare which is what I wanted but it was the toughest chewiest steak I probably have ever had. I don't know if it was a bad cut or what but yeah it wasn't great. I didn't say anything to the waitress because everything else was fabulous including our amazing dessert. All and all this is a great place to visit especially for a special occasion, maybe just skip the steak. Or hey hopefully they were having an off night and the steak hits.

    Crostini's that go with the meat and cheese board shown
    Jeffrey L.

    My wife has been wanting to try this since we went to Cathrine and Mary's next door. Her birthday was a great opportunity to go so I made a reservation. We unfortunately went on Saturday during the St. Patrick's Day parade so the parking was rough. On the reservation I said it was for a birthday and instead of seating us in a separate dining room we were seated right behind the hostess stand by the bar. There is an open kitchen concept which also is right next to where we were sitting and when they burn something the area fills with smoke and all you smell is burning food. So between the hostess stand, the bar, and the loud kitchen it was not a pleasant experience and made it very hard to hear the waitress explain the menu. Speaking of that the waitress, she was very nice but couldn't explain the menu very well which it needed as it is not well outlined. The food itself was ok. The best item we got was the corn ribs which were hot, flavorful with a little kick and a hit for all of us. The meat and cheese board shown was pretty good but not big enough for five. The pickled beets and pears were so hard you couldn't cut them. Could have done with less pickled vegetables and added more crostini's. My youngest got the linguine with prawns (it's a trick as you only get one prawn even thought the menu clearly says multiple) which he loved but a very small portion (ate a whole pizza when we got home). The rest of us got the teres major steak which was more rare and chewy. The potatoes and Demi glaze were delicious but the squash rings were not cooked and inedible. The blackberry cornbread for dessert was "meh" but the marshmallow apple crumble was GREAT!! The do let you know in several places about the auto 18% gratuity which I appreciate however the credit card transaction fee of 3% added to the bill was a little annoying. Another small thing they don't tell you, especially if you bring your teenage kids is they charge for soda refills which stings when I got the bill and saw $21 for six sodas. I will say we went, have no intention of ever going back and not worth the $400 we spent.

    Corn mash
    Koby

    Following our mixed opinions on the food the first time, we decided to come back and try the chef's table experience, which seems to be a custom tasting menu using seasonal, local ingredients almost exclusively. While expensive, the experience was perhaps the most memorable dining experience I've had so far (and my girlfriend would praise them even more highly). It was the highlight of our second anniversary. The turnips and the yams (I.e., sweet potatoes slow cooked in beef fat for hours) were to die for. The service was top notch as always, and the special off-menu treats were great (such as the surprise homemade bread course and a mocktail from the bar manager). Watching chef Gentry personally plate and serve each dish fostered an intimate atmosphere- while the restaurant was busy that night, we had the sense they were focused on serving us. A truly special experience.

    Lauren K.

    A true review of my dining experience at this restaurant. Full transparency, the food was not that appetizing, but the customer service made up for it. Our cocktails were amazing! Our waiter noticed that we barely touched the mussels so he asked us how did they taste and we were honest and told him they lacked flavor. He then took them away and notified a manager who came over to our table. She then asked us what were our suggestions on how they could improve the quality of their food and stated that they were trying out new options on their menu. I wasn't crazy about my pasta either. After receiving our feedback, she then insisted on giving us complementary desserts, which were amazing. I'm sure they have menu items that were better dishes and I would definitely recommend you still try them for cocktails and desserts at least. The decor was the draw so definitely check them out!

    Brussels, potatoes, rigatoni pasta
    Welexi H.

    The Lobbyist is my new favorite downtown Memphis, Tn restaurant because of the Potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The ambiance gives date night because the lights are so low when you get there ( but I did go at night) it's has a classy dark aesthetic. It was 3 of us and we did make a reservation before we went. Parking wasn't bad, I found a parking lot on Main Street that was near the restaurant and walked right over. We were greeted and went to our table. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, he even explained that the pasta is made in-house. We ordered the Brussels, potatoes and rigatoni pasta so we all could share. I had the Jet radio mocktail and it was good. I don't eat watermelon at all but I will drink it and the mocktail was 10/10. It tasted like a watermelon jolly rancher. Now for the food, the Brussels was everything I imagine it would be. It did have a kick to it because of the sauce, but they were cooked to perfection. The potatoes were amazing and I never had feta cheese with potatoes so it was a fun taste. The rigatoni pasta was spicy but it needed a little more seasoning to it. The service alone was great. Multiple people came to our table to check on us and box our food up when we were done. We were full and didn't have any room for dessert. I will be going back to try the dessert menu.

    Fried Pickles
    Alexis B.

    Decided to visit on Halloween! They had the patio decorated and it was truly a vibe! It wasn't too cold but they had the heaters going! We got fried pickles and samosas that were soooo good! We actually got two orders of the samosas. We also made it for happy hour and got French 75s and sidecars for $9! Service was great and many pic opportunities with friends! Def a vibe and will be back to dine inside

    Explains options well, tastes delicious, and feels very special when dining there, people were friendly, environment gave the vibe of special and intimate. Very cool atmosphere.

    The corn mash.  Whoever created this is a visionary
    Stacey G.

    What an awesome experience with friendly staff! I was seated right away. The restaurant was dimly lit and perfect for a date night but I also a relaxing drink night with the girls and might I add - the drinks were amazing and consistent. The food was also good. I wouldn't say great- but definitely good. What I loved was the "farm to table " freshness in taste and menu items. I also liked how everything was cooked perfectly. I did feel that the flavors could have been a little more elevated. Some more flavor or extra roasting of the pepitas ... idk but I also felt there was a little smidgen of flavor missing that salt and pepper wasn't supposed to fix. What I was ecstatic about was price which was more than comparable for the quality of food I was eating. I'd definitely come back again !

    focaccia board

    beautiful, produce forward meal in a modern ambiance that refers to the 20s with art deco. great customer service. the focaccia board was phenomenal, some of the best black eyes pea hummus with chickpea i have ever tasted, kung pao carrots are perfectly cooked, delicious bucatini, corn ribs, would repeat the whole thing over again in a heartbeat.

    Crispy Brussel sprouts to share

    We had an excellent dinner at the Lobbyist. Known for their amazing plant-based foods, my wife had an excellent linguine dish and we shared their fantastic crispy Brussel sprouts. Being a carnivore, I have to say their shoulder steak was cooked to perfection and served with mashed potatoes our server, Tabitha, couldn't have been more kind, thoughtfully and prompt in her service. They have a beautiful indoor dining room but we chose the cool outdoor patio since it was such a perfect night. Overall excellent!

    Cauliflower
    Emily V.

    My coworker and I had a lovely dinner here. All the food was amazing. I just wish I had more appetite to try all of it. Very cool ambiance and the service was very good. The cabbage was my favorite. I would definitely go back to try some more things.

    Carter S.

    What a wonderful meal with excellent service and a lot of options. It was clear that the chef and all who designed the experience knew what they were doing and were laser focused on the customer experience. Kacie was more than our server - she was our tour guide and travel partner. We will be back!

    Charcuterie
    Tami W.

    What an awesome night! Every bite was well executed and tasty! Especially loved the variety on the charcuterie! The service was thoughtful and our server was extremely accommodating with suggestions! Spot on! Will definitely return!

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    3 months ago

    Had dinner for first time there last weekend. Very impressed with the quality and the creativity. Wonderful experience. Well done

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    4 months ago

    Highly highly recommend this place!! The service (Austin at the bar & Tabatha at dinner) was fantastic!! And the food was over the top!!

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    2 months ago

    Not great food and terrible service at the outdoor bar. Not to mention, they add an automatic 20% tip! No thanks.

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    11 months ago

    Wonderful date night. Amazing food all around, especially the vegetarian dishes. Can't wait to come back again.

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    Ask the Community - The Lobbyist

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    The Lobbyist - bars - Updated July 2026

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