50 Best American Restaurants in Memphis

“I listed on open table that we were celebrating a birthday. Upon entering. I was greeted with a huge smile Although we had reservations, we were a few minutes early. We were seated immediately. The table was decorated. They made us feel special. The people seated next to us asked if we were celebrities because of the royal treatment 😂😂😂. It was so cute. The waitress was phenomenal. From the food to the service, I highly recommend Napa Cafe.“

“Amazing show and EXCELLENT customer service by Christina. She went above and beyond.“

“Great service on Father’s Day. The brunch menu was okay, but limited options. The bread pudding is delicious! I will have to go back and try the dinner menu.“

“The last time we went here we were severely disappointed in both food and service, but this visit was a total change. The food was perfectly prepared… We had rotisserie chicken and trout. They even delayed one because it wasn’t perfect but explained. I can’t say what a huge improvement it was! Something changed and we look forward to returning“

“I came to support a group of students earlier this week to celebrate winning king and queen of the school. First of all let me say the staff was very rude to the administration staff. Even though reservations were made and confirmed and they knew in advance that the students were coming they refused to seat our party and denied the reservations ever being made even after being shown the email messages. The female manager asked for us to wait outside of the restaurant being that it was about 42 degrees that day until the limousine arrived to pick the students back up . The children were dressed in their Sunday best with white dresses and the young boys were in tuxedos and were looking forward to having their luncheon that was awarded to them for their hard work at school. I strongly believe that if the students were not all African American and staff as well they would have treated us differently. I will never ever support nor spend money with Majestic Grill again. I was hurt the way they treated these students who worked oh so hard and were looking forward to what was supposed to be a special day to remember.“

“We stumbled into this spot on a Saturday evening—no reservations, no plan—just a spontaneous dinner idea. Despite it being the weekend, we were seated right away. The place was buzzing but not overflowing, which was a pleasant surprise.

Now, parking was a bit of a pain. It’s in the downtown area, and between the street closures and a few events going on, we ended up paying a ridiculous amount for a nearby lot. Something to keep in mind if you’re planning a visit.

The menu had a fun, modern fusion vibe. We kicked things off with the focaccia shareable platter. The bread itself was great—light, fluffy, topped with flaky sea salt—but the rest of the platter felt a little underwhelming for the price. Think a few veggies and dips, nothing too exciting.

We also tried a non-alcoholic cocktail with mint and watermelon—super refreshing and surprisingly well-balanced. Definitely a highlight.

For mains, my friend went with the chopped steak and mashed potatoes—cooked perfectly medium rare with a beautiful char. Solid choice. I ordered a pasta dish with braised beef that had a curry-style seasoning twist. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the dish had an interesting concept, but it didn’t completely land for me. It felt like it was almost great—just missing that final spark.

We skipped dessert (too full!), but the vibe of the place was relaxed and lively, kind of laid-back chic. Service was friendly but on the slower side.

All in all, a decent experience with a few standout moments—but probably not one I’d rave about. Still, if you’re in the area and in the mood for something a bit different, it might be worth a try, but overpriced IMO.“

“I am from out of town and wanted an upscale good quality restaurant with a nice atmosphere. This place was exactly what I was looking for. The bar made fantastic cocktails ? the waiter was very nice. The steaks and Frites was amazing and cooked just like I asked for- Rare ? also got their version of an espresso martini also very good. Cannot wait to come back here highly recommended the gunpowder fizz.“

“It’s certainly not the quickest service I’ve ever had, but the ambience is great, and the food was delicious! We had the General Tso cauliflower as an appetizer, then the quinoa burger and two salads.“

“I always enjoy the terrace they have a beautiful view of the river, wonderful tapas/ sharable plates, and also amazing drinks. My husband and I love date night here. I have tried most of the menu and have yet to be disappointed. Worth a visit whenever downtown. If you are lucky you will get Niki as a bartenders she is great!

Vegetarian options: All items are shareable and about 1/3 of the menu is meatless and there is a good variety of items that can be ordered without meat.

Parking: Depends on time but there is parking because the terrace is on the top floor of a hotel. It is free parking.

Wheelchair accessibility: Via hotel there is a sidewalk and elevator. No stairs“

“Great food as always Chip and Amanda. Good to see y'all.“

“I recommend the Coconut Cream Pie!!“

“I definitely will be back! Staff was friendly from the moment we arrived. Bri, the hostess was awesome and made sure our party of 10 was comfortable.Raquel was our waitress. 10 of 10 would recommend. The food and drinks came out quickly and was good. Miya helped with service and was also nice and friendly!!“

“"It's like a craving you've been having and you finally found it"“

“First class dining experience. Exquisite food and immaculate service provided by our gracious server, Reese. Will be back!“

“We had a very delicious meal last night. Everything was wonderful and our server, Brenda, did an excellent job for us. 5 stars across the board.“

“Amazing food! Everything was well seasoned and cooked to perfection! Had the Chicken and Lamb Kebobs with fries and lentil stew. I ate every single bite! And the sauces they had were equally delicious! The owner was very kind, and friendly, and the wait for the food was appropriate. Will be back again! 5 stars!“

“I just ate the best burger ever!!!! Thank you Yo Mama for giving visitors from Mayfield ky (displaced due to Dec 10th tornado in Clinton, ky) a real good Memphis experience!!!! best burger ever! 5 stars“

“Food 10/10 Great customer service Friendly Staff“

“Nice drinks good atmosphere“

“I was visiting from Birmingham and was bored and hungry so I looked up some places and this one popped up!! I’m so glad I went everything was really good and that grape tini was amazing!!!! The atmosphere was a bar and grill vibe and I really enjoyed myself even tho I was alone lol the waiter was really nice and the prices was pretty good too!!!“

“This restaurant is a much needed addition to the Ridge Lake area! We work next door and walked over for lunch…what a pleasant surprise! So grateful to have a great new restaurant in the neighborhood! Ambiance and vibe are great, can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Been awhile since I've been here so though I would give it a try again. Had the best waitress, food was great; Homecooked vegetables and pork chop! WILL be going back soon! Hey does anyone remember what was there before George Lensley's?“

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“Bacon! One of the best breakfast of my life.“

“I absolutely enjoy the service, food & atmosphere here so much that I posted a reel on my business page for out of town guest searching for a nice place to dine. Our waitress Rachel was top notch. Great to experience in a society of people not wanting to work.“

“Neat little tucked away neighbood atmosphere pub. Good drinks, didn't eat, however food looked really good. I'm not sure if the 18% grat added to bill is a Memphis thing, but it has happened in a few establishments... :( it's a bummer!“

“Awesome food! Friendly, helpful staff!! 10/10 will definitely be back!“

“First time at this venue, and it was great. clean, great staff, great acoustics. Hope to be back soon!“

“Once again, I had a taste for some lamb. Went this time on a Wednesday night and I asked for my usual. They didn't have the same sides as they do on Saturday. But the Owner suggested Grilled rice & fried okra. It was amazing. I did notice everyone who pulled up was ordering this Strawberry Hennessey drink. I will try that my next visit. I left a small tip and the Owner seem some appreciative. If you're in the Frayser area stop by and get you a plate of Tender lamb Chops.“

“One of the best music experiences we had while in Memphis. We stopped in on a Sunday in August after touring Sun Studio - the tour guide had recommended we check this place out for their music on Sunday. The atmosphere was laid back and easy going. The bar was full but there were some tables open and a couple seats we found. We ordered a couple beers and some fried okra and wings. The food was ok. The music was awesome! There was a cover charge for the music but I think you can dine on the other side of you don’t want to see the bands - not sure tho.

Parking: Stone lot“

“The food was exceptional. My fish was cooked to order (didn't take long) and to perfection I had to bring it home because I was full from the sides. This was my first time here and I'm coming back! Oh, the sweet tea was awesome as well.🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“Food was fabulous, great service“

“Had a great time while in Mempis“

“Please call in and place your order! Food is very good but the wait time is very lengthy. I was told it would take 10 mins and I waited almost an hour for 5 whole wings and 2 waffles. Kept being told 2 mins and ended up being a whole hour in total. I will order call in next time because it’s Good 😊“

“Queen of Cravings Egg rolls sooo Fye ?. So Fye I hired them for one of my family private events and it was a MAJOR hit!!!! I highly recommend them plus they are professional and black owned!!!!! Thank y’all so much for serving us delicious food !!!!“

“Stopped in for breakfast, the biscuits and gravy were delish. Highly recommend and Katie was great!“

“This was my 1st time at this location and probably my last, on a Friday night at 8pm the place was dead, no one probably 10 ppl. The food was average but let me tell you about the drinks. Someone is cutting cost! We order a jack and coke and go some CHEAP VERY cheap WHISKEY, we also go Tito and water and it tasted like BLUE TOP! Maybe if they had of let us get a few drinks in it could have passed.“

“I really enjoyed this place. Drove by it several times befire stopping. Ended up sitting next to LD himself and had a fun conversation. I ordered a 12" pizza which turned out to be one of the best pizzas I've had in Memphis. Definitely filling and delicious. Going back sometime this week for seconds.“

“I ate just about the best BBQ I’ve ever had here!!! The food was out of this world and our server Sharon was the kindest lady! I travel between PA and AR several times a year and I’m dubbing this my ‘must stop for lunch’ spot from now on!!! It’s a little hole in the wall and easy to miss if you’re not looking, but I recommend you look because you won’t be disappointed!!!“

“This food was too fye. I was bummed they were out ofntirkey necks, so I thought I was settling for turkey wings & dressing. My mama can cook her a** off so I wasn't looking to be impressed or anything, just dinner. Drinks 5/5 Server 5/5 Music 5/5 Food 5/5. My daughter ordered the wings, we had to run it back and order more. 5/5. One of my sides were sweet potatoes 5/5. I didn't care for the macaroni much. The service was a bit slow, but there was sonkuch live in the food that I could see why, PLUS like I said the vibes were on point. It gave my party and I a chance to get acquainted and have a great time there honestly. I can't wait to visit Memphis again. I had my daughter this round, next time I'm coming round five to see what the kickback when they throw the kids out is really about!“

“We had a pleasant time and a good meal. They were attentive about food allergies.

Update Feb 2025: Chef Charles and Emily our server were absolutely so kindly accommodating about my food allergies and the food was the best it's ever been as was the service. Can't wait to go back to try more options.

Update June 2025: Unfortunately neither the service nor the food allergy accommodation was good. The server said he talked to the chef who said I could only eat one thing on the menu (the gnocchi) which was solidly average. Our server must have had way more than his share of tables. Everybody else in our group had delicious food options and enjoyed themselves so that was a good thing.“

“Whenever I visit my uncle who lives in Frayser he always recommends we eat at this restaurant. It has a great variety of well-cooked soul food. Some of my favorite dishes are the fried fish and okra. They also have a great selection of desserts. The deli plate is usually what we get because you get a meat and two vegetables and your bread and a drink. They have a large variety of food to choose from, no matter what your taste bud is it will be satisfied by this great restaurant. It has also been in business for decades now“

“Everything Is Fye ...Good Service You Should Try!“

“I ate at Big Bad Breakfast on 2/12/2025 For the first time. I will be coming back The service was great Food was great I absolutely loved it“

“Midtown wonderful establishment! Where else can you get a great meal at 7am? Classic Southern dishes. Absolutely try the Meat & 3 plus a slice of dessert! 🥧“

“The food, atmosphere and hospitality were phenomenal. Everyone enjoyed their soul food. If I ever make it back to Memphis, I will definitely eat here again. The food was absolutely amazing.“

“the food is Good AF. I'm talking amazing....“

“Food was good, and quick. Had fish sandwich, burger tater tots and onion rings hot crisp I thought they were pretty good. service polite and attentive.“

“Wonderful experience! I went about 4 weeks ago. It was busy for late night but the staff were friendly and attentive. They were running short staffed but still did a great job.

Customer service delivered by them all was good, especially from Nathanial overhearing a comment from our table and stepping in to take action.

I enjoyed my cocktails. Not super strong, not super juicy & sweet. Good balance.

I didn’t try the food. Only came for drinks. They have dessert on the menu now so I’ll return to try that out.“

“Chef coles kitchen have the best omelette and the cleanest place I love the patio that he has he also has some delicious food come try them out“