This is a great spot in Midtown for an intimate dinner with stellar service. The decor hasn't changed much over the years (at least to my eye), but it still looks upscale and just a touch funky. Being vegetarian, I am sure I am missing out on the seafood party here, but I really enjoy the beet salad and the black bean soup (which is assertively spicy). The last time I went, one of my dining companions complained that her duck, which was glazed and served with apples and maybe sweet potatoes, was overly sweet -- but that's the only complaint I've ever heard from anyone I've dined with there. Last thing: GINGER DONUTS. Do NOT be led astray by any of the other enticing dessert offerings. The ginger donuts are the clear winner, and not to be missed. I'd go just to order a bottle of Prosecco and a plate of those donuts. Do it. You know you want to! read more

I have been of fan of Chef Smith for many years. Even before he embarked on Tsunami which has been a staple of Cooper Young for a long time. So-so restaurants do not last in this area which tells the tale of Tsunami's execution of excellence. The menu and restaurant have grown together over the years lending itself to comfort food status. Open your mind, eyes, and palate and eat your way through the menu. You can thank me later. read more

I discovered this place when my wife and I had to find food after leaving a terrible wedding. Being new to the area at the time, we wandered around and found Tsunami. We were blown away at the food they serve. Everything on the menu was full of flavor and uniquely crafted. We have gone back many times sense and the food and service is always outstanding. Everyone from the servers to the cooks to the bartenders do an excellent job at Tsunami. read more

I have eaten here so many times over the years. It was my last dinner in Memphis the night before I left for California. I can still smell the Sea Bass. This is such an outstanding Restaurant that I had to take a moment to say how much I miss it and can barely stand waiting to go again. read more

I will dream about Tsunami's sea bass until I am so fortunate as to dine here again. All around a delightful experience - great company, attentive service, fantastic food. Was a huge fan of the St. Germain cocktail (and its generous pour) as well as the bacon-wrapped dates, mussels, and fried calamari. My sea bass needs no other description other than, if you upset me, it's your "get out of jail free card." I could bathe in the "beurre blanc" sauce that comes with it. My fellow diners truly enjoyed their beef tenderloin entree and duck small plates. Excited to return! read more

I started out with the wasabi deviled eggs. I was expecting more of the kick but was pleasantly surprised the eggs were kept the main focus. You knew the wasabi was there, but wasn't overpowering. Overall 'eggcellent'. Got the small plate of Sea scallops. Wow. The combination of the scallops, sauce, asparagus, and tomatoes was spot on. I got the small plate because I wanted to try the fried eggplant with the goat cheese. That pairing with the red sauce and arugula was fantastic. My sweetie got the sea bass and risotto. The mushroom sauce with that dish was outstanding. When we try a new restaurant (to us) like Tsunami, we breakdown every dish, every sauce, the service, the atmosphere, and the pricing. We weren't disappointed in anything. Actually exceeded my expectations. Mary Ann was an awesome waitress, the chef had his A game on, the atmosphere was very good, and the prices were average for a great time and a great meal. You know you've eaten the food of a really good chef when you can't figure out what makes the sauces so dang good. And they were. Top 3 restaurant in Memphis. read more

Overall this place was a solid dinning experience- 3.5 stars I was hoping to be blown away. The ambience was very nice, the menu looked promising, but a few things just didn't quite deliver. The entree menu is small, which is typical for many nice restaurants and the 7 options they had all sounded good, unfortunately they were out of 3 of them. Luckily they had scallops, my tried and true favorite dinner dish. The scallops themselves were good, but not out of this world. There was a black sticky rice, that was not described on the menu, layering the bottom... that was... well, not so great. I asked the server what it was and snippily told me it was a fibrous grain. We happened to be seated next to a friend of my boyfriends at the next table. His girlfriend had ordered the same thing, although she remarked that hers looked different. Guess they ran out of some other ingredient (hopefully it replaced the "fibrous grain"). Toward the end of the meal, near closing, either the waitstaff near the kitchen or a guest at the bar was swearing like a sailor... maybe they were upset that they had run out of so many things too ;) On the plus side, apparently the filet of beef was excellent and the sorbet we had for desert was AMAZING. I would like to retry the place when they restock their kitchen. I am hoping it was an off night. read more

We haven't been in awhile, but I love this place for date night! We always order the bacon wrapped dates and I get the sea bass! :) Check them out! They have a pretty cool little bar area, too! Always friendly staff! read more

Another great dinner at Tsunami! Called around 7pm needing an eight o'clock reservation for 9 people. Turns out it's a good spot for a group. When we got there the table was ready and we were seated right away. Everybody ordered two or three items that we all shared. The food and the service was right on and everyone enjoyed the evening. Thanks Tsunami. read more

Disappointing. We walked over to the restaurant for a nice anniversary meal, having read and heard positive reviews from friends and neighbors. The seafood options looked exciting, so we ordered some calamari, tuna, and scallops. We had the calamari as an appetizer, and it was good, not great, didn't seem all that fresh. We were really excited about the tuna and scallops, having had these two recommended by the server. The scallops were delicious, with a mildly spicy red curry sauce and a small dollop of black Thai rice. The tuna was a mess. It was not fresh, thin cut, and overcooked. It was placed on top of a huge pile of thinly sliced cucumbers (probably about one and a half medium-sized cucumbers) with a tasty wasabi dressing. When the server asked about how we liked it, I told her that we thought the scallops were delicious, but that the tuna was... I looked up, and she had already opened the door from the patio to walk back inside... not very good. I would have been disappointed with the food regardless of circumstances or price. But the fact that we came here for an anniversary meal, spent about $65 a piece, and had mediocre food is especially disappointing. Maybe it was a bad night for the kitchen crew and servers? I would love to give the restaurant another shot, but at these prices and lack of quality, it won't be any time soon. read more

I have eaten here several times. I am a native but have lived away from Memphis for the last 15 years and am a foodie. The simplicity of this place is what attracts me back nearly every time I am back home. I enjoy the simple menu, the courteous wait staff, the variety of dishes along with variety of the wine. I recently took my girlfriend here when we visited family and she was naturally satisfied with my choice. It is a great place in the heart of midtown and a good start to an evening on any day of the week. read more

One of the best restaurants in Memphis. Skip the calamari. Go with a salad the green and spinach are very good. The salmon and lamb were delicious. Great date spot! read more

Excellent both times I have been here. The spice crusted tuna on Cucumber salad was very good. It only lacked a bit of salt. The house made whole wheat bread (with a dash of molasses) was excellent. The cherry bread pudding with ice cream was also very good. A possible criticism is that a little more dressing and syrup would have made it better. Service was very good. read more

Tsunami Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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It is only fitting that my last post from Memphis should be from New Years Eve. Whilst before, this eve only represented a night marked by slurred speech and pictures that will be deleted in the morning (which I agree, might be an equally entertaining blog post), I have made a turn around. This NYE, I attended a small dinner party in lieu of the mountains of other invitations I had received... Ahem. And may I say, I could not have imagined an equally satisfying way to spend the better part of the final day of 2012. My sister Brooke, whom you may remember as the smaller, cuter O'Neal, planned a dinner that would vie for the title of best dinners of the year. The aptly named Tsunami is like a tidal wave of Pacific Rim flavors, crashing down on your taste buds and retreating before you've had time to pick up each subtle note of flavor (okay, so that analogy was a little too easy, but hey, when life gives you the word tsunami, talk about tidal waves)... (more on the experience plus photo at the blog write up on my website :) read more

My wife and I wanted to leave east Memphis and eat somewhere special. I surprised her by making reservations at Tsunami. We have eaten here many times over the years and have always found great food, friendly service and lots of people we know! I ran into my college roommate who lives out of town and I had not seen him in over 30 years! The evening was topped off with pot-stickers and a wonderful fish dish. Great value! It's a must ! read more

Not impressed. The asparagus, pork and beef had no seasoning that we could taste. My friend's rice was super dry but mine was moist. It took forever to get our food and it wasn't that full when we ordered. We did notice that most of the customers seemed to be older, like 55+. read more

I agree that the chef here is very talented. The mussels and the beet salad were exceptional. My wife's mahi-mahi was very good. The meal had only one thing that had me a bit disappointed, and that was the sea bass. I ordered it because a Yelper said it was the best she'd ever had. It was cooked perfectly, but was accompanied by a butter sauce that had very little else to offer for such a "sauceable" fish. And that sentiment comes from someone who loves butter in all its uses. It was not the best I'd ever had. The dish really needed more flavor IMHO. Something savory perhaps. I realize that it's not likely that they're about to change a signature dish like that based upon my Yelp review. But you could try it as-is, then if you agree with my tastes, send it back for the chef to put it over the top with something extra, which I believe he could. It would be outstanding then! I didn't think to do so at the time (I really wish I had), nor was I encouraged in that direction... The waitress, although seasoned, patient and helpful with ordering, seemed to just go through the serving motions quickly. In particular, after we got our entrée, she returned in what seemed like one minute to ask, "how is it?" (or similar), before I had barely a bite, and a chance to evaluate the taste of the dish. Waitresses and waiters: Don't do that!! -- or come back a second time to check! I don't know yet! I answered her, "as far as I can tell so far", leaving a hint and an 'out' in case it was flawed. But she scooted away immediately and wasn't around when I eventually had to get up and ask the manager for salt (hoping that would help). THEN she reappeared pronto, but didn't ask why it needed salt, or if I was unhappy with my entrée. I think most people find it hard to complain about a well prepared dish (I know I do), thinking that it's their own personal taste that's wrong, or, after all, it was they who ordered the dish in the first place. But it really is a crap-shoot! How are you supposed to know the flavors ahead of time?? Waitresses and waiters: #2 - ask the customer, sincerely, "Are you *100%* satisfied with what you ordered?" Offer to make it right if not. Then pay attention, to body language too. THIS will encourage them to complain, and you will understand the diner's true feelings. If you want to know them, that is -- it may result in more work should you need to fix whatever. Insight: There's a difference between everything being "ok" and everything being outstanding. So don't ask if "everything's ok". Ask if there's anything that's NOT ok!! That will reveal the opportunity to satisfy the customer completely. I would have loved to have given Tsunami a 5-star review, but it wasn't perfect. I encourage you to try it though. There were a lot of things about this restaurant that were great! read more

Fun restaurant, great atmosphere. Nice spot to go for lunch with a friend (or business colleague). At night I usually go with a couple of other friends and we share a variety of the small plates and usually split an entree. Wines are reasonable and they have full bar available. Maybe I go at off times, but I am always surprised it is not more packed than it is. This means not having to wait forever when I show up on a whim and without reservation, which is a nice plus. To reiterate what has been said in other reviews -- I have never had a bad meal a tsunami. The menu is eclectic, fresh and won't break the bank either. read more

Hadn't been to this gem of a restaurant in a few years, and I was happy to reacquaint myself recently. I met my date early enough that the restaurant wasn't too crowded, which was good because it is rather small and the tables are close together. We started with the mussels and the calamari, both which were good. I liked the amount of spice, but those who are sensitive about heat might think twice before ordering. We did have to ask several times for more bread - they dole it out one piece at a time, but we were using it to soak up the yummy curry broth on the mussels and kept running out. Followed up the apps by sharing the black bean soup and the papaya salad. Soup was tasty, but the salad was a let down. Mostly arugula with a few bits of papaya as more of a garnish. This is a fave dish of mine and I was eager to taste Tsunami's version, but I should have ordered an old fave - the spinach salad with goat cheese. Entrees - shared the sea bass and the tuna with cucumber. The sea bass was fantastic (another old fave), though the portion smaller than what I remembered. It's a good dish to share because it is quite rich (dieters, beware!). The tuna, though, was another disappointment. The whole dish lacked seasoning, especially the cucumber salad. No salt on the table for a quick fix, either. Most of that went into the to-go box. Overall, it was a nice meal, but didn't live up to my memory of the place. For the price and the reputation, I was expecting a bit more. read more

Tsunami is hands down my favorite restaurant in memphis. I moved her 3 years ago, and was looking for an Asian inspired cuisine, and that is exactly what I found. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor. And check out the cook book! read more

I took my nephew for his birthday as this is where said he'd like to go! I had not gone in years! But I'll tell you what,I'll be going back soon! It was a fabulous meal! Scarlet was a great server! But all seem to be thorough! He ordered a glass of Kim Crawford fume blanc which I tasted and promptly ordered a glass as it was grand!He had the Calamari and I had the sweet potato soup! Both excellent.If you don't care for spicy ,steer clear of the calamari but it is excellent and a huge potion! The soup was great! We both ordered the sea bass( that's what I used to order) It was truly divine! We both savored every bite! I had a trio of sorbets(banana/pineapple/raspberry) and he had that delicious ginger donut w/ coconut sorbet! The meal was not inexpensive but considering the quality of the food, wine and service, it was well worth the charge! read more

We have been to Tsunami quite a few times and ALWAYS have had a great experience. The wait staff is very attentive and friendly. This time I had the seared scallops with black Thai rice. HEAVENLY is the only way to describe it. The scallops were thick,1/2 dollar size and seared/seasoned to perfection. The sauce was an incredible curry-based concoction that complimented the scallops and rice without being over-powering. For appetizers, we had the bacon -wrapped dates and shrimp potstickers. Both were absolutely divine. My wife had the spice crusted tuna. She thought the sauce was a little bland and after tasting my entree, she asked the waiter for some of the sauce that mine came with! All in all a very good experience. read more

Some of the best food in Memphis! The sea bass was great. My wife had the lamb and it was outstanding. Great wine selection. Not a lot of parking. Highly recommend to everyone in the mid-south area. read more

Stopped in for dinner without a reservation. We got a great little table near the window and ended up deciding to do a couple small plates and appetizers to share. The bacon-wrapped dates are a show stopper and a must try! We also really liked the pot skewers. Great menu mix of shareable and full entrees. Service was amazing as well. read more

Everything is delicious here! You can't go wrong with the sea bass but if you want to explore the menu more there are plenty of smaller plates. Order one or two each and share! read more

I was going to update my review, but I think I said it all the last time. Sea bass check. Ginger doughnuts with Coconut sorbet, check check!! Lovely meal, great staff, Ben Smith does it right!! read more

Living in the neighborhood I've been here a few times. Being a lazy Yelper this is my post to summarize the past years food. Okay. That's it. Okay. Service is good enough that I have no recollection of disliking something. read more

Absolutely love the small plates. Didn't care too much for the crawfish cakes but everything else we tried was delicious... Shrimp Toast, Gracious Gardens mesclun mix, Seared Scallops & the Wasabi Deviled Eggs. I will definitely go back! read more

Some of the best salmon ever. We like the small plates because we enjoy eating family style and tasting a little of everything. A little pricey, but great flavor. read more

I like to make my friend's try new asian cuisines for my birthday dinners however, this year I decided to make it easy on them by picking Tsunami. We had a great meal on a Friday night on the patio. I've been there before and had the awesome caesar salad but I had been dreaming of curried mussels for a week before our dinner. The bread brought out to your table is awesome too - or as I thought of it, the vehicle for me to sop up more curry broth! The mussels were fabulous and everyone loved their entrees. One of the friends really doesn't like fish but since the menu changes regularly she always finds a preparation that she likes. It doesn't get any better than good food, good wine, great service for a special meal! read more

People who give this restaurant 5 stars lack discernment. The service here can be agonizingly slow. Once, I felt compelled to volunteer to help in the kitchen or serving tables. While the food is generally good, it is not as good as it looks. And, the portions are small, reminding me of the Woody Allen joke. "The food is bad, but thankfully, the portions are small." Presentation and ambience are probably the reasons that some feel this place rates highly. read more

We love the food and the service!! Always consistently good. They also help my wife with her gluten free needs.

Wow, I am AMAZED at the one and two star reviews. I sincerely hope that they just had fluke experiences since my have been nothing but extraordinary. When I dine outside of my hometown (NYC) afterwards my first thought is generally, "Would I eat here in NYC, and how much would I have spent?" I would eat at Tsunami if it was in NYC, but I also think I would pay about the same prices in NYC (if not a little less to be honest! whihc seems to be true of a few places in the Cooper Young area). Flavors here are excellent, and the "small places" are more than enough food especially if you decide to enjoy an appetizer or dessert! My sea bass was cooked to perfection in a wonderful butter sauce (traditional cooking method executed perfectly). Salmon small plate though was outrageously good. Now their dessert menu does not fit the theme of this restaurant, but I don't care and in some ways am happy about that! I don't want fried green tea ice cream, or Mochi or some other Japanese "inspired" dessert since I personally don't ever love them. The Australian Hummingbird cake was phenomenal (called so for its naturally sweet flavors such as pineapple and that bird's affinity for sweet nectars). When I'm in town and have a special visitor that I want to take somewhere that isn't BBQ or Gus's fried chicken, I'd probably try to stop here with them for a nicer evening out. read more

I tried the sea bass as recommended and it was wonderful. The staff were charming and gracious.

Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. From the perfectly cooked entrees every time we dine here, to the informed and gracious service. Most all-around, consistently excellent place for dinner in Memphis. hands down. read more

Probably the best sea bass I've ever had, definitely try it! Great service as well

Came here twice already, not bad at all. I like the food and service and menu

Yes! Great people, great place. We eat there when we can- the service has always been great and the food is always spectacular.

Went there tonight at 9:20. They said that they are closed for the night. The time they actually close is at 10 PM. Enough time to serve a meal. Maybe there was more to it. read more

Food was phenomenal! The scallops were some of the best I have ever had, and the sauce was impeccable. My wife had the sea bass (one of her favorite fish) which she says was the best of any restaurant. Service was excellent. Friendly staff, very attentive. Fun, lively atmosphere. An overall wonderful experience. read more