Vibes- very cool, artsy location with dim lighting and an eclectic crowd…read moreDrinks- pretty & strong, but probably 8/10 on flavor Pasta- 10/10 probably hands down the best pasta I've had in a long while. Rich, well seasoned, and fresh Service was also awesome and there's a secret dessert menu our group really enjoyed!

It pains me to have to leave this review. I came here once before several months ago and was very…read moreimpressed. I had a fantastic espresso martini and the best brussel sprouts I've ever tasted! So I was excited to come try something else. On the plus side, the bathroom was so nicely decorated. It was also very clean. I sat at the end of the bar, beside the little section of books. The bartender was nice. I ordered the Ember&Passion cocktail. Although it was pretty good, it was quite mild. Unexpected with the ingredients in it. I was surprised that the level of expected heat was not very detectable. I give it 7/10. When I came here before in the winter, the temperature was perfect and I don't remember being too bothered that they don't have cocktail napkins. But yesterday it was quite warm in the restaurant and not having these napkins wasn't good. Nobody in the restaurant had any type of napkin under any drink! I noticed that just like mine, every glass of water from every patron had a puddle of condensation under the glass. Each time I picked up my glass of water, it would drip onto my food and clothes. My two menus got so wet. I suppose they made this decision to save themselves a lot of money. As for the food: My parmesan truffle fries were excellent!! Hot, crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked in the middle. Best I've had in a long time. The Alabama white sauce on the side was just your typical sauce. It tasted just like every other Alabama white sauce that I've had so was not disappointing. But I actually ended up not using it because it was too thin and it didn't add anything to the fries. The fries were excellent enough on their own. I ordered my burger "pink" but there wasn't any pink to it, but I wasn't that bothered about it. Burger and the toppings were tasty, except for the fried green tomato. Looking closely at the picture, you can see that it was SO SMALL compared to the size of the burger. When a restaurant does that, don't they realize that it makes for a glaring disappointment?! It apparently came from near the end of the tomato, and not the middle. If you are going to offer a fried green tomato on a burger, then I feel as if you should only use the larger slices of the tomato, and save the smaller ends for maybe putting in salads. I've always been obsessed with fried green tomatoes. After having my first two bites of burger and still not reaching the tomato, I took it off to eat by itself. Sadly, it tasted terrible! I was surprised. Obviously, they didn't season the tomato or the batter. (Salt and pepper go a long way.) The burger toppings apparently made the tomato batter not only soggy, but also this strange thick texture. Like mushy and chewy at the same time. 1/10 Worst problem: FLIES!!! So many flies! When I just had my drink but no food yet, I noticed them but was not bombarded by them at that point. It wasn't until my food came. All of a sudden I was literally surrounded by them. They were everywhere! No exaggeration. I actually had to use only one hand to eat and the other hand to constantly move back and forth over my food. I eventually gave up and set the plate of some of my fries about 4 inches in front of my burger in order to hopefully draw the flies to the fries so that I could eat my burger. Unfortunately, after only four bites of my burger, when I set it down to take a drink of water, a fly landed on it within one second. Obviously, that was my last bite, and even when I was moving the plate closer to the end of the counter, two more flies landed on it. The glass of straws was inches from me. That, and the book closest to me seemed to be where they gathered to wait for their opportunity to dive bomb me. So many of them! It turned my stomach when I realized that I had been drinking from a straw with my water and I'm sure there had been flies on it before I got there. Every person that gets a straw in their drink at this restaurant has had a fly sitting on top of it. When the bartender told me about the desserts, it turned my stomach to think of just how many flies were in the kitchen. Had I known the fly situation was that bad when I first got my drink, I would have never stayed there, and I certainly would have never ordered food. I do think it is a real shame because the winter months are a totally different experience in that restaurant. But because of how horrible it was this time, I just can't ever come back.

Had a a recent solo date here? I'm a big fan of this restaurant. The food and the service is always…read moregreat! Trust me....get the Miso Deviled Eggs. It's like a ramen bowl in a single bite! The seasonal dish really surprised me! Pan seared Black Cod with Green coconut curry, roasted squash, shiitake mushrooms, rice balls, cilantro and guajillo oil.

Miso Deviled eggs Dubu Jorim (lentil cake )…read more Charred radicchio Caesar salad Halibut French onion tartine We had an excellent experience. Three came for dinner and shared a number of plates. If you get several plates, the sharing quantity is fine. We were actually too full to eat dessert. It was an excellent meal. Very energetic and excited waitress helped us select, guided us and revelled with us when we celebrated the delicious food. A very calming and nicely done, ambience. Highly recommend

Tsunami is a staple in this neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and sadly, they announced they are…read moreclosing. I shall miss Tsunami. It was a cool place e where the service was friendly, the food was good and the ambiance was pleasant. I shall miss here and wish all involved the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Beautiful interior, attentive staff, GREAT bartender and nice food quality…read more We sat at the bar, watching the amazing bartender do his thing and wait on us. Reservations are needed for busy days, but the bar is first come first serve.

The downtown location of Tonica gives an upscale vibe with the service to match. I went for brunch…read morefor a birthday and they did not disappoint. I had already eaten but the mimosas were on point! From the social media worthy seating to the open kitchen, the place just gives, "fancy night out" or "date night". It's not overpriced, either! Just right! I look forward to trying the place for dinner.

Update: the second time I came back again at bar service. Every was great but the scallop was cold…read moreand the paella cold. 4/5 3rd Visit - 2/5 Very disappointing. The lamb skewers and scallops came out cold. The mushroom and coconut shrimp were good, but the "habanero" sauce tasted like ketchup. Drinks took 30 minutes, food arrived before drinks, water was never refilled, and my friend never got the straw he asked for. We paid $121 for tapas (lamb skewer, mushroom, coconut Shrimps and scallop) and two drinks and ended up going somewhere else after. Not worth it this time.

Easily one of the best Spots in Midtown! We had an incredible dinner and everything we ordered was…read moreoutstanding. The steak frites, croquettes, carrots, cauliflower, scallops, and an amazing bottle of wine were all phenomenal. Every single dish was flavorful and perfectly prepared. Our waiter, Matt gave us great recommendations that were spot on and truly elevated the meal. The Spanish tapas-style food was just downright delicious and easily a five-star restaurant! We can't wait to come back and try even more from the menu. Highly recommend!

We sat at the bar and had drinks and charcuterie. It was very tasty and plenty of food for 2…read morepeople! Good variety of cheese, meat, sausage, dried fruit, bread, mustard, jam, etc. The cocktail that is a variation on a Negroni was very good- preferred the smoked version to the sparkling. They were busy and service was a bit slow- seemed like they needed more staff. Great menu- so many things we wanted to try.

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.

It's been a few years since I last stepped foot into Babalu, so I decided to swing by this weekend…read moreto see if it still held up. The vibe is just as cool and energetic as I remembered, and having that parking garage right in the back makes hitting this part of town completely painless. I sat down with one thing on my mind: their tuna club. It used to be my absolute go-to. I opened up the menu, flipped through it twice, and my heart sank when I realized it was completely gone--looks like they updated the menu and cut it loose. When our server came by, I must have looked visibly defeated because he asked what was wrong. I told him I'd been craving that tuna club for years. He told me to hang tight, walked back to the kitchen, and somehow convinced the chef to whip one up for me anyway since they had the ingredients on hand. Talk about elite, next-level customer service. While they were working on that, we started with the table-side guacamole. It's still spectacular--super fresh, completely customizable, and served with those thick, hearty chips that actually don't break when you scoop. When the tuna club came out, it was exactly how I remembered it. Perfect sear, bursting with flavor, and paired with those roasted potatoes. My buddy got the burger and said it was cooked perfectly, though the cheese on his potatoes made them a little on the salty side. Huge shoutout to the kitchen staff and our killer server for going above and beyond for a returning guest. Babalu still has it. I won't wait years to come back next time.

The customer service here is so amazing. Very pleased. They were kind me to last night when I…read morearrived after hours, and still hooked me up with a glass of wine. Today I needed a catfish fix- it's been like 10 years. So I got the catfish sandwich, which was huge. And OMG THE MOST AMAZING FRIES Glad it's raining, otherwise I might have gone elsewhere. I loved it Next time I'll try the chicken club, everyone else ordered that and absolutely loved it, glad I got the catfish but I have to try that club next time

I love a little hidden cocktail bar! This one is located through Central Station Hotel and has a…read moremoody vibe. Our bartender helped us to choose drinks quickly so that we could maximize the happy hour prices, which I appreciated. She also comped my cocktail because it took a few minutes to source the ingredients! I did not wait long at all so I appreciated her kindness. We also got some desserts to share since we already had dinner. I could tell that the desserts were not made fresh in house, but I still enjoyed them. I would like to go back for two reasons: to try some of the happy hour food items, and to experience a live DJ, because I've heard that makes for a fun ambiance. Overall I love the aesthetic here, I just want to try it again!

I Couldn't get a drink. Cause I'm gay. I felt like I had to leave cause I felt I uncomfortable , I…read morewas very uncomfortable.it felt targeted towards me... not sure if it was my ethnicity of something else. Definitely not a safe space. I was uncomfortable. Not sure who else was uncomfortable. Don't remember what happened.

I've been to BarWare three times now, and each visit has been its own little adventure…read more Visit #1: Absolute perfection. The female bartender was on it--friendly, fast, and she introduced me to my new signature drink, the Hold On To Your Britches. If you like a sweet cocktail, prepare to fall in love. I only needed a small bite, so I tried the grilled cheese... and honestly, it was silly good. The kind of good that ruins all future grilled cheeses. Trust me: get it. Visit #2: Stopped in just for drinks. Still good, but service was slooooow. I would've ordered another round, but eventually tapped out. Visit #3: Visited for Downtown Dining Week. The Caesar salad was basically lettuce in a monologue--no cheese, no croutons, just lonely leaves in dressing. Entrées tasted good but were tiny. My pasta was so spicy I couldn't finish it, but the short ribs with mashed potatoes were legitimately delicious. When I go back for visit #4 (and I will), I'm sticking with what BarWare does best: that fruity cocktail and the holy-grail grilled cheese. The ambiance and seating options are too good to stay away, even if the service and a couple dishes miss the mark now and then.

All the food is very good, compliments to the new chef. I almost had to ask if the chef had a…read morelittle rat in his hat it was all so tasty especially the soups, which aren't pictured. Only reason I couldn't give 5/5 is the one manager who was degrading to his waitresses and had the F word written on his knuckles... cmon man

Be forewarned during football weekends…read more We made dinner reservations to celebrate a birthday. We had dined here before and really enjoyed both the food and the ambiance, so we thought it would be the perfect place to return for this special occasion. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were led to another part of the hotel and seated in a stark ballroom with TVs. The setting reminded us more of a corporate meeting or awards ceremony than a nice birthday dinner. To say the least, it was not what we expected or had envisioned for the occasion. When we asked why we were seated in the ballroom, we were told that it was a way for the hotel to capture additional business and take advantage of an otherwise missed opportunity. While we understand the business reasoning, guests should be informed of this arrangement when making their reservations rather than having it come as an unpleasant surprise upon arrival. If you're making a reservation here during a football weekend, be sure to ask where you will actually be seated and whether the setting is the restaurant you were expecting. Don't assume that being seated in a ballroom with TVs will be suitable for everyone--especially when celebrating a birthday or other special occasion. We enjoyed our previous experience here, which is why this visit was particularly disappointing.

Food was actually so good!! Our server was great and very attentive. The food came out very quickly…read morebut it was a Monday night. It was a bit hard to find but overall the experience was great!!

My wife and I have been several times and all before were good, good food, good wine. However, we…read morewent two weeks ago and will never go back. The young lady behind the bar was great at taking our order, but the bar manager who had to pour the wine was awful. His attitude , demeanor and the way he told us he wouldn't pour our wine before he poured the other 40 glasses on the bar (we were the only 2 at the bar) solidified it for us. We will not go back again.