They definitely did their thing! Hospitality, customer service, and food were all top tier--superb…read moreacross the board. A few upgrades would take them to the next level: switch to a table number system instead of calling out orders, tighten up the cleanliness, and expand that kitchen because it's getting crowded back there. At this point, they're getting enough business to level up into a bigger space. But I will be back but only for to go orders to many ppl walking around!!!

So this resteraunt is a awesome resteraunt. The atmosphere is busy as the venue is not large. You…read morecan place your order at the counter or eat in. You will have to wait a bit for a table but so worth the wait. Very friendly staff!!

The service was excellent but shout out the waitress that took excellent care of us. The food was…read moresooo good every i ordered was on point. Rhe crawfish and shrimp over grits cakes was delicious well executed. The lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes is a must have great balance of flavors. The location down Memphis is well lit and spacious and relaxing love the ambiance. comfortable place to get your favorite comfort food.

I have gone back a few times since my last review and I must say the service and food is the same…read more I tried the breakfast bowl this time and the rum french toast. The french toast were delicious. I enjoyed every bite. The bowl is just ok. I had the one with turkey sausages and bacon and the ingredients just didn't seem to blend well. I think it's because the potatoes are the frozen ones. To me, bowls with fresh potatoes makes a huge difference. Other than that, the ambiance was great and we had a great time.

Wow, we got here by accident, we were supposed to go to a place across the street but it was closed…read moreand ended up here, so glad the other place was closed because the food was amazing, I had the boss hog bowl with gravy, best I've ever had, the service was quick and really friendly, ambiance ok, makes you feel like family. Give this place a shot and hope your experience here is just as good as ours.

Coffee was excellent, breakfast was outstanding and the crispy bacon was perfection!…read more We found this little gem while on vacation and it was truly amazing! Service was prompt and efficient and the staff was so kind and helpful.

The food was yummy and reasonable portion (not massive, but that's fine with me.) I got the…read morecrawfish etoufee (with rice) and my friend got the shrimp and grits. We also had our arm twisted (easy sell) to order the bread pudding. Glad we did! It was a worthwhile splurge and a huge, shareable portion. I found all the food a bit lukewarm though. I prefer hotter temperature. Maybe because it was served in melamine bowls it cooled down too quickly? Unsure the reason but both our entrees and bread pudding dessert were not piping hot. Very attentive service.

To start, the interior looked like a day care center, lighting was so harsh you need sunglasses…read more Food- good portions and good ingredients. Unfortunately, there was no seasoning, very bland. Good thing they had Crystal to liven it up. House drinks were too sweet. Waitress had zero training. I wanted this to be a good experience but unfortunately, no.

Michelin-Quality Food in the Most Unexpected Setting…read more **Rating: ** Bryant's Breakfast is a study in contrasts, and that's exactly what makes it extraordinary. Walk through the door and you'll find yourself in what can only be described as a high school cafeteria aesthetic--fluorescent lighting, simple tables, no-frills decor. But order your food, and you'll quickly realize you've stumbled onto something truly special. ## The Food: Breakfast Perfection The biscuits alone are worth the visit. These aren't your average biscuits--they're fluffy, buttery masterpieces that practically melt in your mouth. Each one arrives at your table with layers that pull apart perfectly, golden-brown on top, impossibly tender inside. The thick-cut bacon strikes that elusive balance between crispy and meaty, with just the right amount of char on the edges. The sausage is clearly made with care, well-seasoned and flavorful without being greasy. And the eggs? Cooked exactly as you order them, every single time. Whether you want them over-easy with that perfect runny yolk or scrambled to creamy perfection, they deliver. ## The Secret Sauce: Obsessive Consistency!! Here's what sets Bryant's apart from every other breakfast spot in town: their almost obsessive commitment to consistency. Visit on a Wed at 7 AM or a Saturday at 1PM, and you'll get the exact same quality. The bacon is always thick-cut to the same specification. The biscuits are always equally fluffy. The eggs are always cooked with the same precision. This isn't luck--this is a team that has perfected their craft and refuses to let standards slip. ## Service That Rivals Fine Dining Despite the cafeteria setting, the service operates at a level you'd expect from a five-star Michelin restaurant. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and genuinely seems to care about your experience. Orders arrive promptly. Coffee cups are refilled before you realize they're empty. Special requests are handled with grace and efficiency. ## The No-Friction Experience Everything about Bryants is designed to be effortless. Ordering is straightforward. Seating is quick. The menu is clear and well-organized. Payment is smooth. There are no unnecessary complications, no pretentious service rituals, no waiting around wondering if your server forgot about you. You walk in, you order phenomenal food, you eat, and you leave satisfied. Simple. ## Exceptional Value!!

Got there early enough, so did not have to stand outside in line too long. Order at the counter and…read moreif done in, you go find a table. There are usually 2 servers who will bring your order to you. If you get coffee, you pour your own upon entering the order line. Got the biscuits and gravy breakfast which includes 2 eggs cooked to order and a choice of meat. Wife got the scrambler. Overall good food. Service is good. Noise level is moderate but tolerable.

Straight-up comfort food perfection. Everything on this plate was --crispy bacon, perfectly cooked…read moreeggs, hash browns with that just-right crunch, and the biscuits & gravy? Elite. Absolute main-character energy. Portions were generous, flavors were on point, and nothing felt rushed or sloppy. On top of that, the service was top-tier--friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. This is the kind of breakfast that fixes your mood and makes you plan your next visit before you even leave. 10/10, would demolish again

Man, the menu at Elwood's Shack is huge--almost overwhelming on a first visit. Thankfully, right…read morewhen I walked in, someone pointed me in the right direction and said, "If you're trying to decide, go with the Redheaded Stepchild." I took the advice, and I'm really glad I did. It was fantastic--stacked with pulled pork, smoked sausage, and beef brisket, all topped with slaw and BBQ sauce on a bun. I also tried a bite of the barbecue bologna, which is a thick-cut slice served on white bread, and that didn't disappoint either. Inside gets pretty smoky, so you'll probably prefer sitting outside. Luckily, there are plenty of picnic tables and seating areas to choose from. I didn't catch the name of the guy who helped me, but he was friendly, energetic, and made the whole experience even better. Overall, a really enjoyable visit.

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

The best cajun food I have had in Memphis. The gumbo had so much flavor. I have ordered it at a lot…read moreof other places, and it is always so bland. But not here! The flavor was fantastic. Our server was great. The ambiance was nice and dark. We will definitely be back!

Finally got to try Barksdale's in Midtown. Pretty good set up. Very much like a diner that serves…read morebreakfast all day and they do have lunch specials. I ordered the griddle cakes with crispy bacon. The pancakes came with honey butter and syrup. Also had a pretty decent cup of coffee. My friend ordered the club sandwich with fries. The fries were nice and hot. She said it was very good. We had a fin time dining there. There are plenty tables and chairs as well as booths. The place is decorated with a variety of sports pics, articles and Christmas decor. It is a very cozy diner. There is parking in the front and back of the restaurant. Our server Christopher was awesome! He was very nice and friendly. There was a steady flow of customers which is a good sign. I will return to try some lunch specials. Good experience!

Time for an update! Sucks to write this one, but it's where I stand on this joint!…read more Since my last review, the owner died, the place caught fire and closed under the new owner, was then bought by another restaurateur couple and a their partner. They remodeled it, filled the kitchen with new equipment and food, slapped some paint on the walls, then let er rip! The operators here also own and operate Bain's BBQ just down the road. I've been here three times now since it reopened. It would be more, but here we go... They have daily lunch meat and threes that rotate by day of the week. I always check the website to see what's being offered before I go to places like this so I can see if they have something I want. I really dig these kind of lunches, I seek them out when I want a "solo decompress, don't talk to me lunch", so I want to like this place so much. I quit going to Bain's a year or more ago because of never knowing what they are selling. The menu is never updated on the site, or even there at all now. Every time you walk in it's a surprise! I just checked again to verify, and yep, still no menu, only online order, but 60-70% of it is "out of stock". Ugh. When they do have the menu posted, it's normally wrong. This seems to be a trend between the two places now. The first time I was here I was underwhelmed. Country Fried Steak tasted funny and I had the worst cornbread I had ever had. Not even sure how it was made that terribly. I do hope they fixed it. Second visit and this time the printed menu didn't match the website, but they had the websites menu available, strange. The website showed fried chicken livers available, but the dine in menu did not. When I asked, they said they in fact did have them and it was a mistake on the dine in menu. Huh? That time I did have the chicken livers and they were pretty good, and I also one of the best rolls that I have ever had in my life! Shockingly good!! Better than my grandmothers. Please don't smite me from the grave, Gram. Both times the sides were just fair. Same thing at Bain's, so it makes sense. Today I walk in and there is one table sat in the whole place at 12:15. I got a bad feeling from the jump as I am pretty sure the food is all done and just sitting there being held on a hot well table. If it ain't busy, it just sits. This place used to be packed every single time you walked in! I sit down and the old guy with the really cool hairdo comes and gets my drink order and gives me a menu. The livers are not on the menu again... My last visit was 8 months ago, I checked my pic. I knew what I wanted because I had peeped the site and confirmed they had Fried Chicken Livers just like last time, so it's all good, right? Guess what?!?! Still not on the dine in menu so I'm like "can I get the livers", cool guys says no livers and walked away. 8 months later, it's still not corrected. I sit there for a minute, and got pissed off and then, I looked around, thought about eating old meatloaf or fried chicken, took a sip of my water, and I got up and left without ordering. My advice, (that I understand that absolutely no one gives a shit about) is this. Stop putting so much effort into your Social Media BS and get your shit together on the menu/websites of the business's you run. It's cute and all for you to eat at other Memphis BBQ joints, I like bbq too, but let's shore up your own operations before you do so. That way we can all enjoy all of our meals together and you stay in business. I used to love both of these places, but now I fear they are just going to be memories of was once a couple of my favorites. One more try.... I'll update again if it's all good then. '26 - 19

Stopped by for dinner early Saturday evening. You select your table and there was plenty of seating…read moreto choose from. Staff were very friendly and attentive with pleasant conversation. Ordered the new smash burger and was very pleased with the selection. Served hot with plenty of food filling the dish. Patrons really seemed to be enjoying themselves as we were. Not overly loud ambiance but enjoyable background music on speakers. Only drawback was a period where a strong odor of weed was present in the dining area, not real appetizing. I still recommend giving the restaurant a try, it's a nice place with a cozy home town feel.

I have no idea why this East End has such low ratings. Maybe there are a bunch of haters out there…read more We have never had a bad meal in all the times we've been here. The beer is always cold. The food is always on point. Plus, it has a "dive bar" atmosphere that works. The menu has a nice variety and I haven't ever been disappointed in whatever I've ordered. This visit, I ordered the hot dog sliders; 3 mini Nathan's hot dogs with grilled onions and beer cheese. I also got a bowl of chili and made my own chili dogs. Very good. Definitely 5 stars for East End.

A Great Bagel Shop With Pastries Worth the Detour!…read more We stopped by this bagel shop after a nearby coffee shop told us, "You have to try their pastries," and honestly, that recommendation was spot‑on. Even though the place is known for its bagels, the pastries ended up stealing the show. Everything we tried was fresh, flaky, and full of flavor -- the kind of treats that make you instantly glad you listened to a local tip. Once we saw the pastry case, my kids and I didn't even pretend to show restraint. We grabbed almost all of them so we could enjoy a full tasting session on our road trip home, and it turned out to be the best decision! Each pastry had its own personality -- some buttery, some fruity, some rich -- and not a single one disappointed. It made the drive feel like a little dessert adventure. It was truly hard to choose a favorite. The shop itself had a relaxed, welcoming vibe, and the staff was friendly and quick to help. Even though we didn't focus on the bagels this time, the overall experience made it clear why people love stopping here. If you're in the area -- or even passing through -- definitely check out their pastries. Pair it with a coffee from the shop nearby, load up a box for the road, and you've got yourself a perfect travel treat lineup!

Day two of my Memphis trip stopped in for a quick breakfast. Hive was in walking distance from my…read morehotel. It's a nice small shop with a few seats outside. I looked at the menu before I came but I got a little indecisive once how I was how delicious it looked in the case. I still went with the bagel and lox but the croissant was calling me and they wouldn't let me sub the bagel. I asked for capers and the cashier went to the back to ask. We I got my order no capers, the energy was a little off from the staff so I decided not to send it back. I was still good and a big portion of salmon for the price. I'd stop in again if in the area and try something else.