49 Best Southern Restaurants in Memphis

“Yummy brunch menu . Great service !“

“Food was fabulous, great service“

“I have only 3 words to describe this restaurant=fan-tas-tic! From the reservationist,to the best ever creme brulee! Stevin(our server) had great suggestions for our meal-and drinks(I had the best old fashioned! You can't go wrong eating here!“

“Best breakfast spot in town.“

“I tried some fried Oreos from their food truck when they were setup at the Foodees event! They were aMaZinG!!!! And the staff was very friendly too!“

“Our food was good (pork chip, catfish, mac and cheese, green beans, cornbread). The building is very cute with the eclectic seating. The owner is sweet and gave her an infamous hug after ordering. I was worried about parking but they have signs with dedicated parking for their patrons.“

“So order some lamb chops from TrapFusion901 last night at the wine on the river and this is what they gave me for $30. They definitely holds up to their name. When I ordered they told me 25/30 minutes so I go back and start getting more wine while I wait. I went back in 25 minutes, I was about to ask this lady was my food ready but before I could, this older lady from the trap made a comment "why are all these people back her, it's just to much", so trap lady #2 asked me "what I needed" and I told her "I was trying to see if my food was ready". She said "not yet". In my mind I'm wondering how would she know and not know my name. She comes back 3 minutes later to ask me my name. I told her that she should have asked me thar before saying that my food wasn't ready and then I perceived to give her my name. After that she then tells me my food was sitting on the table upfront with trap lady #1. I responded to her that she had just told me it wasn't ready and that food had been sitting there prior to me walking up. So I go to trap lady #1 and got my food. When I opened it I was highly disappointed. The chops were cold and dry. They drowned them in bbq sauce, which I don't like. On top of that it was only 3 chops in there for $30. This is another BOB I don't recommend. If they needed $30 they should have just asked.“

“Great food and great service.“

“I was a first timer and I'm always excited about supporting a black owned business and I told the cashier that but she wasn't friendly or talkative at all, the food was expensive (but what's not these days) but IT WAS SOOO GOOD! I will try once more and hopefully the owner reads this and will speak with cashier about her unfriendly, unconcerned customer service.“

“I made my inaugural visit to Fannie Lou's Gourmet Chicken & Waffles tonight. The chicken was AMAZING and the mango cheesecake blessed my spirit! I will definitely visit again!“

“Had a great time while in Mempis“

“Taylor was amazing tonight !!! For some reason we had received an email 15 mins before our set pick up time saying it was canceled ?? We walked in told taylor what was going on and she replaced the ordered in store , and we were still able to leave with our original order with addition to us adding some grapes that looked too good to pass up ! Thanks Taylor for making sure our new years extravaganza wasn't a failure lol and she made sure to give us serving spoons !!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼“

“first time here and it was a blast.“

“One of my coworkers suggested this place he wanted to try out, Southern Hands, for lunch. It's southern-style cooking, and that's an option I don't see a ton of even here in the south. So we swung by to try it out, and the food was fantastic!

The restaurant was in a strip, so I didn't expect much ambience, but there were pictures hung on the wall that gave the place a more homey and friendly atmosphere.

Ordering was quick at the counter, checkout was a tappity tap with the old debit chip card. Dominique took our order with a friendly smile. The crew behind the counter were fast and efficient yet obviously enjoyed working there, as there was muted banter back and forth while they worked.

Food was delivered to the table promptly. It comes in a take-out box, with silverware and a napkin. When you open the top, the first thing you spy is the cornbread. I love cornbread, and the cornbread we got was not too sweet, not too salty, moist and delicious. Under the cornbread was a foil sheet to keep your cornbread separate from the meal underneath, and to keep the food warm in case you were taking the food back to the office or home.

I had the meatloaf, with a side of mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas. I started with the meatloaf, as it was the main reason I was there. Meatloaf can be awesome or awful based on how it's cooked. As you can see from the picture, the meatloaf was landed in juice, with bell peppers and fresh tomato chunks added. It was definitely wet, and did not have a ketchup tophat to disguise flavor issues belowdecks. I don't prefer my meatloaf dry, crisp or with a ketchup cap. So for me, this meatloaf was just right. The tomatoes tasted fresh. the meatloaf had just the right seasoning.

The sides I chose worked to balance the wet of the meatloaf. The mashed potatoes were a bit dry, but I'd opted not to have gravy, because I wanted to taste the potatoes themselves, and gravy can hide a lot of taste issues. When I return I'll likely go for gravy, to see how they flavor it. The mashed potatoes held their own without it, but needed more wet and gravy would supply that. I couldn't tell if the black-eyed peas were fresh or canned. They were good, and if they were canned, I didn't notice; small chunks of bacon were added.

My coworkers chose the Fried Chicken and the Porkchop lunch specials. Their feedback was attested to by the bones they left. There wasn't any meat left on the fowl or the porker. One coworker commented that GOOD chicken doesn't require batter to add flavor, but the flavor is found in the meat, and this was true of the fried chicken. So, guess what I'm going to order on my next visit?

On our way out, I noticed that they also have a van and do catering.“

“The absolute best, and customer service is amazing“

“Stopped at notes and provisions restaurant to eat breakfast every morning during my stay at the Crowne plaza hotel definitely I think the buffet style breakfast is an awesome idea there could be a few minor little things added to it for the price of $10 but if it continues like it is $7 is a very reasonable fee for people to totally eat up an awesome breakfast and the person that was helping to set things up and serve omelets and take care of people is got a really great personality and she's doing a great job and she totally could succeed with so much more with just a little help and it would be an awesome experience to have again thank you“

“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.“

“First time and I am IN LOVE WITH CHICKEN SALAD CHICK. Even my 21month old enjoyed it. Everything is amazing the salads, sandwiches, my favorite soup is the potatoe soup but I love their chicken soup as well... can't say much about their spicy items because I cannot have them but everything else is amazing.“

“Food amazing, great blues playing in background, staff friendly, lovely atmosphere“

“Enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. This was the 2nd time I've been to Abbay's and my first time at this location. The employees there were actually working, no loud music playing, and it was fairly clean. My only issue was the lady vacuuming so early and while customers were still dining when it wasn't near closing time. The restroom was nasty and needed to be cleaned more than the carpet.“

“Great portions especially for the great price. the mashed potatoes were actually real potatoes. I won't ever buy catfish from any other place in this area again....they know what they're doing“

“Delicious, great customer service“

“The service, atmosphere and food was excellent“

“Great food. It came really quick and was piping hot.“

“Food came out prompt and as ordered. Frys were hot. Cashier was nice and friendly. One of my favorites to eat at. My family and I eat hear a few time a month.“

“Great food and great service.“

“Found Dino's on a whim (thanks to Google Maps) today looking for a spot to eat after getting at the zoo. Really nice place and good food. Am glad we found it.“

“2nd time in Memphis. The Green Beetle is our Memphis hometown bar! Great food, reasonable prices, and the clientele is a great mix of out of towners and locals! The staff is awesome! Randy the bartender is great!“

“The place is beautiful it’s so much bigger on the inside than the outside. The staff was very welcoming and kind. My family and I enjoy their food so much I definitely recommend to those how haven’t tried it.“

“I've been visting rocking of memphis for about 2.5 years from then to now no problem clean fresh food and they treat u like family“

“Great portions especially for the great price. the mashed potatoes were actually real potatoes. I won't ever buy catfish from any other place in this area again....they know what they're doing“

“This place has a great soul vibe. There are a few styles of true Memphis BBQ and this is one of the classics. There are a handful of experiential BBQ joints in Memphis that you can't compare to other joints because they have an established flavor, but it is all still Memphis. This is one of that handful.
My carnivorous family devoured the pulled pork, chicken, and ribs, while I had the grilled portobello with fresh slaw and lots of custom hot BBQ sauce. I had my pooch, and we enjoyed the fan-cooled, covered, dog-friendly patio, which was comfortable on a 100+ heat index day.
The staff are extremely accommodating and friendly. Lots to see and do in the area. Walkable from pretty much anywhere downtown.“

“Always good never disappointed when I come here

Vegetarian options: They do have non-meat options

Parking: Plenty of space

Kid-friendliness: Nothing for kids to do but a okay place to bring them“

“I give Joann 5 stars because the service is great as well as the food.“

“The lunch is excellent home cooked Southern food. It reminded me so much of my childhood. The artisans items for sale are beautiful. They have many one-of-kind gift items and lots of stuffed animals for the young people in your life. I have not been there in years, but it was as good as I remembered. Wednesday is fried chicken lunch, so plan accordingly. 😍😋👩🏾‍🍳“

“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“

“We have just eaten and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Food was great, staff were extremely friendly.“

“Anahi was our server and she was excellent! We loved how she made us feel at home ! The food was very good they
Accommodate
as well . We hade the pink Cadillac was very good ! We can’t wait to come back while we enjoy our trip here !“

“Goodness, the food was soul soothing. I enjoyed my fried pork chop and two sides but added some fried okra for that extra 😋. The tea was perfectly sweetened and service was fast and friendly. Haven't been here in years but I can rectify that easy breezy.“

“Big Myrts Wings & Things offer delicious meals while providing superb service.“

“I had the pleasure of dining at Willie Mae's in Memphis Tn, On August 31 2022, I was thoroughly impressed with the food . The chittlins reminded me of my mommas in Rosedale Mississippi. The cornbread was firm yet moist, the Collard greens were on the money ,just enough sweetness and pepper to create an awesome flavorprofile. The Macaroni and cheese was baked to perfection, just cheesy goodness. I don't do shout outs, but if I did Willie Mae's gets my vote!“

“This is our third time dining at Delta’s kitchen. The food is incredible and the portions are awesome as is the service. Our new “go to” restaurant for all of our special occasions. It definitely is Memphis’ Best Kept Secret! Please don’t change a thing!“

“I’ve had the Buffalo Ranch chicken sandwich and the tenders rolled in Garlic Parmesan and both were absolutely amazing! Would love love for a Slim Chickens to come to Munford/Atoka TN area!“

“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! 🥧“

“I stopped here by chance this morning. I was very thirsty and when I walked in there was a very long line for the food counter. So I grabbed my drink and looked at the food line again. There were people from all walks of life, different shapes and colors. So I figured if whatever they’re serving here can bring all those people together to stand inches apart it must be pretty damn good. So I waited and talked to another person in line. He said he comes here almost every morning for the breakfast and that I was gonna be blown away by how much they give and how good it is. I got a bacon egg and cheese and it was about 2 inches of bacon that was so delicious. I will definitely be going back!“

“There was a line when I got there which is a good sign. The food was so good! Nice portion size, especially the cornbread. Nicely seasoned. Good customer service! Just a nice establishment.“

“I ordered off doordash...... BABBBBYYYY KISS ? ? GRANDMA THATS IN THIS KITCHEN..... OMG ? I KNOW THESE RECIPES ARE OLD SCHOOL..... SUCKING ON THE BONE AFTER YOU DONE TYPE MEAL.... IT IS PERFECTION ON A PLATE.... N BABY ITS HARD TO IMPRESS ME ..... I WILL BE ORDERING MUCH MUCH MORE...... MY SON PICKY N DONT EAT EVERYONE COOKING HE ATE HIS PLATE N EASE OVER TO MINE.... ?... COLLARD GREENS ?.... thank you and dont change a thing ?“

“Went here for lunch for the first and it was decent. I’ve passed it multiple times because I live in the area but never had a chance to stop. I got the chicken lunch plate with 2 side and cornbread. The chicken was seasoned well but wayyy to big for my liking. I do not like huge hormone injected wings. And personally the side I got the candied yams and corn didn’t have enough flavor. But it was eatable. I was expecting a home coooked meal type of vibe but this not what my granny or even my food taste like. But again it was just okay. Good for the price. The service was really good and quick. I may be back to try other items.“