SOB Downtown

We visited this restaurant for a team dinner on a weeknight and were glad we called ahead for a reservation. Parking can be tricky—if you’re lucky you might snag a street spot nearby, but most likely you’ll need to circle the area for a bit. Reservations are highly recommended; even on a weeknight the place was packed, and our reserved table was ready when we arrived. Waiting for us on the table were bowls of popcorn—warm, salty, and surprisingly addictive—perfect for snacking while we settled in with drinks. We ordered a generous spread of appetizers: • Buffalo chicken dip served with crisp tortilla chips, • Tuna with avocado, a tuna-tartare style salad, • Pork spring rolls, and • The standout of the night, crispy cauliflower bites that tasted like a vegetarian twist on Korean fried chicken—crunchy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Every appetizer was a hit. For mains, I chose the fried chicken sandwich, which turned out to be underwhelming and very basic. It came with fries that were unfortunately some of the worst I’ve had—limp and lacking flavor. Others at the table echoed the same sentiment about their entrées: the excitement of the starters didn’t carry over to the main courses. Overall: This spot shines for its lively vibe, solid drinks, and outstanding appetizers, but the entrées fall short. Come for cocktails and shared bites with friends, and you’ll leave happy—just don’t expect the mains to impress.

You can tell this place is well loved and cared for by the people who work there. We had a wonderful experience. We had the chicken sandwich n the burger along with the famous Brussels sprouts! All fantastic. And if you haven’t had the general Tao’s cauliflower you haven’t eaten in Memphis, period! We’ll be back ❤️

The General Tso’s Cauliflower was crispy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Highly recommend! Also ordered an enchilada bowl- they forgot my tortillas, but it tasted fine. My husband enjoyed his burger. Gluten free options clearly labeled on the menu. Would definitely return!

South of Beale (SOB) downtown Memphis was a really excellent restaurant. Very interesting menu. Excellent service. Everything was well prepared. There were vegan options for my daughter. Excellent mixed drinks. I should say really really excellent mixed drinks. The place was fairly packed, so I recommend reservations. These can be made online.

I had the Zaka Bowl and added tuna. It was pretty good and had a nice mix of flavors. We also shared the cauliflower wings, which were tasty and everyone loved them. My friends had the burger, which they really enjoyed, and the Shawarma Bowl, which I heard was really good. The chicken in the bowl was very flavorful and the shawarma sauce complemented the dish well. They serve complimentary popcorn with their special seasoning instead of bread, which is a cool touch.

Let me start off by saying I can’t recall our server’s name but we were in on 10/17/25 around 4. I wanna specify because he was so fantastic! It’s not his fault I’m horrible with names. He was absolutely lovely and helpful and kind. I got the apple salad which was fresh and delicious and the maple syrup dressing was out of this world. Fries were amazing. Coffee was phenomenal. I hadn’t had any all day and our server filled my whole travel mug like a true angel 😇 Can’t recommend this place enough! Look for the server with the late 90s Devin Sawa floppy haircut. 10/10!

Great atmosphere and amazing service. The Philly egg rolls weren't anything to write home about, but the chicken shawarma bowl was more than exceptional. I would like to have had a bit more of the sauce as the rice was bland without it.

I’m not a vegan. I’m not even a vegetarian. However, I love veggies and the Hungry Vegan bowl is phenomenal!

This spot has been my go to for downtown meetings for years! Super spacious, I can always find parking on Main Street, and it's instagrammable but not doing too much. I usually get the mushroom pasta and add chicken but the cauliflower, duck fried rice, and free cinnamon popcorn are also hits. Also the bartender here is a gem and a goddess!!!

No major complaints. I got the shawarma bowl which was better than I expected for downtown Memphis though it was pretty far off from an actual shawarma bowl. The Chicken was cubed and not shredded, the rice was weirdly sticky too, but the flavor was actually pretty good. The pita was standard too but did not taste made in house. The ambiance inside is modern and clean. If you want a nice place to sit and enjoy a dinner with friends or a date. No complaints on service everything was out in time and they were attentive.

Excellent service & food! A modern American Asian cuisine. A wide variety of different options to choose from! Can't go wrong with any!

I had the Zaka Bowl and added tuna. It was pretty good and had a nice mix of flavors. We also shared the cauliflower wings, which were tasty, and everyone loved them. My friends had the burger, which they really enjoyed, and the Shawarma Bowl, which I heard was really good. The chicken in the bowl was very flavorful, and the shawarma sauce complemented the dish well. They serve complimentary popcorn with their special seasoning instead of bread, which is a cool touch. I'm not a fan of the buffalo chicken dip; it's way too chunky and not very spicy. The staff is friendly, and the restaurant is very beautifully decorated.

First- the waitress was sooooo rude. She was impatient, said I'll be back and walked around like we were invisible. The bread pudding- nothing Jack or Coke about it. The worst big piece of bread pudding, that plated syrup was supposed to be the jack and Coke reduction syrup but not. Then a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Tragic. Other than that- this place is nice.

This used to be my favorite place for a good meal. Convenient to walk to. The past two orders both of my salads have been pretty non-desirable. Wrong dressings- old lettuce etc. So disappointed. Kitchen or communication needs help.

One of the best meals I've had in a long while. Service was great! The ambiance is nice. Looks a little dark from the outside to the point where I thought they were closed for the evening. Did not get any pictures but I will next time.

Popped into SOB right before the Moulin Rouge musical at the Orpheum last night and it was a pleasant experience. The atmosphere was very romantic with dim lighting and a very upscale city vibe. Trey was our server and he was exceptional. He was attentive and kind gentleman! The General Tso's Cauliflower was my favorite! Great flavor and it was super light on the stomach. Additionally, had the chicken enchilada bowl. I wouldn't say I would order it again. There was a lot more rice and lettuce than chicken. I was expecting more chicken and as you can see pictured, there wasn't a lot.

Waitress was great! So friendly and helpful to visitors. I would recommend the General Tso's Cauliflower.

I love the ambiance here! It is very vibey both inside and out. The food was good. I had the duck fried rice, truffle pasta with salmon and cheesesteak egg rolls. The pop corn they give as a starter is yum and a different appeal. Would recommend going here

Atmosphere of this place gets a 10/10! I felt like it had personality, was big and open, and still felt intimate! The location is great too especially if you're enjoying the sights and sounds of downtown Memphis before or after your meal. I dined in a party of 4 and we shared three appetizers and tried four different meals -- all of it was a damn knockout! My meal: Buffalo chicken sandwich with french fries. Fries were crunchy on the outside and so soft on the inside with so much flavor. I love a good French fry!!! The sandwich stole the show. The sauce was sooooo wonderful and the blue cheese on top was subtle for most of the sandwich and then you'd get a sharp bite and it was just delicious! My husband loved the steak & Mac and cheese. I tried a bite of both and it was wonderful! My sister and brother in law split the duck patty melt and the short ribs and they enjoyed both so much as well. For appetizers we got the cheesesteak egg rolls and the chicken bao buns and they were delicious but the buns stole the show! (So much so that I neglected to get a photo of them!) Our server was kind and there when we needed anything. Food runners (possibly the chefs as well?) who brought the food out were so genuinely nice as well. SOB left a great first impression. It's worth your visit and attention and offers tons of unique menu options! We are lucky to have them in Memphis!!

Nice modern decor. Casual ambiance. Food 4/5. There needs to be more seasoning. The best thing on the menu was the cauliflower. The service was ok. We had one waiter for a party of 25. ‍She did her best.

Popped in for a lite bite over the holiday week and the atmosphere was clean, festive and staff were welcoming! Our server was attentive fast and accurate. The fried chicken bao was crispy and flavorful. 10/10 recommend

Visiting DT Memphis and was told to try SOB. The aesthetic was so cool. Bartender was so nice. Went back and forth about whiskeys so I enjoyed it. Steak had great flavor even though I may have gotten a rough cut of the NY strip. The Mac and cheese was a massive portion which I was excited to see when it was put in front of me but was lacking in the flavor department.

The server Ashley is amazing. Great recommendations for choice of food. I had the duck fried rice and it was a perfect size and it's an appetizer. Also recommend the bread pudding. *FREE POPCORN that has a perfect kick!

First time here and everything was great! We always eat at Flying Fish when we come to Memphis, but we were truly impressed with SoB haha We started off with the General Tso's cauliflower bites, delicious. I got the Zaka Bowl and me and my sister got the Espresso Marrini's. The Zaka Bowl was different, I liked it and the martini's were great. The service was great! We were seated at the bar and the tender, Joe was awesome! I personally feel there should've been someone else behind the counter helping him out but that's just my take on that. The atmosphere was comfortable and inviting. I would definitely come to SoB again!

The general tso cauliflower is all you need to know. It is incredible. All of their food is delicious and it is a nice vibe with great service!

Went here as part of a food tour. Had the duck fried rice. It was sooo delicious. Very rich.

Great spot close to one of my favorite areas in the city! The food is delicious and is definitely one of my top recommendations for brunch. I'd recommend a reservation, especially if you go on the weekend!

Well well, i had high hopes for this place. We dined in on a Wednesday around 5 before going to a concert at the Forum. When we got there we were immediately greeted and seated. Our waiter Huego was the one who really disappointed me the most. He asked us how we were and when we asked in return, he said that it had been pretty slow for the last two hours so he had been doing arts & crafts in the back- random, but ok. He came and gave us waters and took our Mocktail orders. We also put in an order of cheesesteak eggrolls. He then came back with our drinks and some of the house popcorn which was very good And took our entree orders. About 20 mins passed and we still had not received our eggrolls. We also had asked for more popcorn since the appetizer seemed to be taking so long and it too we never got. About 30 minutes later, our entrees came out. At that time i asked Huego did he forget about our eggrolls and he looked at me and said yes but would get them in and remove them from the ticket. I was ok with him rectifying it. The SOB burger was probably the best thing. Everything else just seemed pretty bland. The eggrolls were bland, the macaroni was bland, the fries were hard and a bit cold. The Brussel sprouts were also hard. Everything just seemed to need salt. I asked for a refill on my Mocktail which Huego also seemed to forget. When we asked for our checks, i needed one to go box for half of my burger that i didn't finish. It took Huego about 10 mins to bring the box and come back to get our cards to cash out. I just ended up stopping another waiter to get our cards and ask for a Togo box. When Huego came back out to service the other tables behind us, i heard another woman saying "has our drinks come up" and Huego was chewing as if he was having a little snack in the back while we wait for service. He was truly a disappointment to have been just coloring in the back for 2hrs. Also, when the other waiter took our tabs, one of the checks was going to be paid by another girl so two checks would be paid by one person. Huego didn't do that and instead of just charging her card again for the 2nd meal, he charged her card once for her meal then did it again for two meals! Which was crazy because why wouldn't you just charger the card for the 2nd meal instead of recharging the card for the first meal a second time. Then he gave this spill about the charges should drop after 3AM but if it doesn't to call them to fix it! HUH! I can't say this is a place/location that I'll go back to. There was nothing that stood out and Huegos service was just the icing on the cake.

Came here for dinner and drinks Saturday night. Got the blue suede shoes cocktail, french fries, and the cinnamon roll peach cobbler. Service was friendly and informative (our waiter gave me a whole run down on the cocktail menu). The drinks were great and had the perfect amount of alcohol. My friend ordered the shawarma bowl and said it was good. Loved my fries. Food didn't take too long to arrive but the dessert was a bit cold and doughy. The place wasn't too crowded as they were hours before closing, but the vibe was great. Great spot to watch a game, have dinner or a date.

SOB always amazes me. From the nice aesthetics of the restaurant to the friendly quick service. I typically sit at the bar because they have a beautiful bar area. We went for brunch and were not disappointed. The bottle service allowed for about 6 drinks and was pretty cheap compared to other local restaurants. The food was delicious we had the eggrolls and duck fried rice to start off, and both were top tier. For entrees, we got the steak, eggs, breakfast potatoes and toast! Everything was good even the toast, and the price was unbeatable. We also tried the duck patty melt and it was better than expected , my husband LOVED IT! SOB is always a top tier experience with reasonable price. Will always patronize this business.

I haven't been back to Memphis in awhile. South on Beale used to be a regular stop for us. Wow, has this place slipped. It is no longer worth a stop. We came by on a slow Sunday night and wanted to sit at the bar. There were three men sitting at the bar and EVERY other seat, all down the line was dirty; plates, glasses, food. It was disgusting. The manager was sitting at the end of the bar with piles of papers, oblivious until she finally saw us standing there. She looked up and quickly saw that we wanted to sit down and started cleaning up. They really woke up and stared cleaning once they saw us. I was willing to just get over myself and give them a second chance. I went back to the washroom... and it was filthy. I was walking back and spied the kitchen through an open window. It looked gross too. We left. I think it's time for SoB to give up the ghost. Sad, but it happens.

One of the best restaurants in the downtown Memphis area! Can't go wrong with ordering anything. As everyone says the General cauliflower and the duck fried rice are my favs. I've been in Memphis a lot recently for work and I always go here when in town. Nice cocktail menu as well.

I made a reservation online for ten a few hours before. We arrived and we were seated in a super cute space all by ourselves. We ordered appetizers, drinks, food. It was glorious. I am not a fan of the cauliflower bandwagon but we ordered the general Tso cauliflower and it was so good! Finally a cauliflower dish that doesn't taste like only cauliflower. It actually had some bold flavor! Definitely enough to share as an appetizer! We also got a couple of orders of the fried chicken bao buns. What an interesting combination of fried chicken, pickles and kimchi. Yum! For dinner, I had the salmon. It came on top of perfectly roasted vegetables. The salmon was a nice size too. Not skimpy at all. For my drink, being in Memphis, I had to order the blue suede shoes, which is vodka, ginger beer, lime, and mulled blueberries. Look at the photos. Amazing!! That burger and fries someone else ordered looked so good. He ate it so fast I was lucky to get a photo before he gobbled it down! Our server was fantastic and we didn't want for anything! The room is adorned with standard Memphis memorabilia. Thank you for a great dinner with friends. No fuss and a nice relaxing atmosphere.

Good always tastes great and is a nice portion. Ambiance is cool and relaxed, open. Bar seats are very nice and comfortable. They have plenty to sit in too. Drinks are handmade Properly and taste as good as the food. Fast service from both times I've came.

Excellent service, not crazy about the food but I'm picky. Ambiance was great. Went with family & friend.

The restaurant was laid back and not too busy. We could communicate with our waiter about our needs. This burger was delicious! They didn't offer the preference of how the patty was cooked so I think it was well-done. French fries were crispy and additional salt is not needed.

Highlight: Bottle of mimosas for $19! Stopped in for Sunday brunch after a Tigers game! It's up the street from the Forum, so there were a lot of people either leaving the game or watching from the restaurants/bars on the same street - to our surprise we were seated within 5 minutes! Once seated, popcorn was brought for the table (the seasoning reminded me of spiced chocolate). We ordered the cauliflower and beignets for appetizers and I really enjoyed the cauliflower. The chocolate on the beignets could've been a sauce on the side. My shrimp and grits was really good - wasn't originally sure how I'd feel about the "tomato broth," but it worked. I wish the shrimp was more grilled, but the creamy cheesy grits were the star! The decor was really nice as well, I'd definitely stop in again!

The hubs and I are traveling through Memphis and this was our first meal here. Hands down the best part of our experience was Hugo, our larger than life awesome server. He made the night really fun and we were still talking about him the next day. The food is also incredible. Our friends started with the crispy cauliflower app and the hubs and I shared the duck fried rice app. Both were full of flavor and really well done. Next up were mains. Fried grouper sandwich - crispy battered fish well prepared Chicken curry - more like a tiki masala Zaka bowl - the house made kimchi vinaigrette was stellar Sailor sandwich - the star of the show. This was epic We also enjoyed the blue suede shoes, heming-why, and bittersweet symphony cocktails.

Came from out of town at 7pm on a Sunday night, restaurant was a little under half full and dwindled after we sat down. Appetizer took about 25 mins to come out and was the Philly egg rolls. I would have thought for $16 they would have been better but they were mediocre and were just two regular sized egg rolls cut in half. Didn't taste bad but were not memorable especially for the price. The $16 burger came out about 45 mins after we ordered and was overdone. Again, burger didn't taste bad but I've been more satisfied with burgers that were half the price. I would pass on this place if I came into town again, unless your just going for the modern, hipster vibe.

I've been to SOB several times. It can be a little hit or miss. The menu is good... with diverse options but a little pricey for what it is. Service is sometimes lacking. The specially seasoned popcorn they start you with is the highlight.

We had reservations on Monday January 20th at 6:30 and got there at 6:25. We were seated right away but sat at our seat for 10+ minutes without anyone even acknowledging us. Decided to leave. They only had 3 tables of people and people at the bar. Very rude! Would not recommend this place.

Salads were good but rather inconsistent in their preparation, Shwarama was very good with just the right amount of heat. Egg roll appetizer was superb. Atmosphere was pleasant and service was friendly but a bit inattentive.

I'm pretty sure you guys gluten'd my wife. She did all the research for gluten free restaurants in Memphis. Your restaurant advertises GF. She got the Korean Bowl (allegedly GF) ... within hours she was affected. Our waiter seemed completely competent and demonstrated knowledge of GF. But, somehow the message for GF didn't get from the front of the house to the back of the house. Thanks a lot SOB! Thankfully she's sleeping peacefully now after a few hours of BS. Not good... NOT GOOD!! Take CELIAC seriously.

The food is AMAZING!!! Had the lamb chops, mac & cheese & asparagus. Our waitress Bria was simply marvelous. Thank you, Bria, for all the suggestions & thoughtfulness. We will definitely be back.

It's a fine spot in the South Main area of Downtown. They cook up one of my favorite bar/pub burgers in the area. It seems like they alternate between sesame seed buns and regular buns. Regardless, the service at the bar and table is great, with a nice ambience all around. Burger is 100% recommended.

Absolutely loved this place!! Some of the best food I've had in Memphis in terms of flavor and price. The drinks were very unique and quite tasty. General tso's cauliflower: it tasted so good we tricked my cousin in to even thinking that it was chicken! Jam packed with flavor and the perfect crunch despite it being saucy. Huge portion as well for being an appetizer Chicken fried bao buns: again, packed with spices and sauces it was a great start to our meal. The bao bun was so soft and steamy and complemented the fried chicken so well! Mushroom pasta: the pasta was al dente and not super mushroomy at all! A wonderful vegetarian option that was very filling. Added some chili flakes for spice and bread crumbs for the crunch and it elevated the taste.

Tried SOB on a food tour and wow! The buffalo cauliflower and seasoned popcorn brought us back. We had 3 perfect cocktails, fried grouper with crispy fries, and the best duck fried rice we've ever had. Very impressive!

I never knew this place was sooooo gooood! This place truly deserves 5 stars. The decor is great, customer service is great, food is delicious, and drinks are made well. The Duck Fried Rice is the best. They give a large amount of duck. The fried rice no longer comes with chili sauce so it is not hot. I can't remember the name of the cocktail I ordered. I think it was Lucid Dream but it had great balance of alcohol and taste. Give this place a try.

Omg!! I went to SOB for lunch today. I've never been there for lunch only dinner and wow the menu was so good I was there for business, so we jumped right in and ordered our entrees. I got the Chilean sea bass . . . I highly recommend . . . Chilean sea bass with mussels, prawns, calamari in a tomato broth and served with a side of toast. This dish was beyond good!!! My business partner got the braised short rib with smashed potatoes, roasted carrots and red wine jus . . . When he took the first bite you could tell is was delicious . , . I think he grunted . . . Ha!!! Service was great! Thank you for a great food and a great experience!! Elevated gastropub serving lunch, dinner, brunch & late-night menus in brick-walled, dimly lit digs. I highly recommend!!

If I had walked in only had the califlower plus the ambiance and customer service it would be hands down 5 stars. My dad liked the popcorn and his fish sandwich was delish. I didn't care for the sweet/savory popcorn and my chicken salad was...better without the chicken. (Superb when I added pieces of the fried cauliflower in it. I would go again because of the excellent service and ambiance.:) next time I will definitely have to try the fish sandwich and I hear the duck fried rice is good.

We frequent this restaurant a lot before shows at the Orpheum theater but today I had the best pancakes I've ever eaten in my life. The peaches and cream pancakes are absolutely a must have!! Pastry cream in between fluffy crispy-edged pancakes with maple soaked peaches with a hint of cinnamon! All of our food was fantastic. The chicken sandwich, the burger, the Mac and cheese, but the pancakes were beyond amazing!! Don't take these off the menu!

I was in town visiting and met a group of friends here. We had a fairly large party and they did a good job accommodating us. We were expecting a brunch menu, but they only have it on certain days. I ordered the General Tso Cauliflower and Soul bowl (I think that's the name of it). The cauliflower was pretty good. The bowl included greens, sweet potatoes, honey fried chicken. From the looks of it , it looks good, but in reality, it had no flavor. The general food reviews from the table were blah.

Food is good, not greasy tourtist crap. Service/kitchen can be a bit slow....so just relax and go with the flow. It's not fast food so if you are on a tight schedule this probably isn't the place. If you want to relax and enjoy....this is a good place. Menu is varied and meal sizes are as well...so something for everyone in a group. Been coming here ever since the original opened...will continue to make this a regular spot.

I know this place is super popular. It was even crowded when we went. But the food was just all-around horrible in our opinion... and the service wasn't much better. We don't get the popularity...

Great staff and solid cocktails. The chicken curry was banging. Highly recommend this spot for people who appreciate a proper cocktail.

LOVED Seth, our waiter! It is just great to get a personable and attentive server to make a dining experience. We ate brunch on the patio-food was so good! I had the bao buns which were perfect. Bloody Mary's are worth it!

Coming here, we did not realize SOB was featured on Dibers, Drive-Ins, and Dives. We passed the restaurant looking for South of Beale. Their sign says SOB. We ordered the duck fried rice. Yummy!!!! The duck confit and bits of the rice were heavenly crisped. It was topped with a sunny side up egg or however you prefer it. We had it over medium. Hubby had the Zaka Bowl, which I loved. My catfish was not good. It was greasy and not served at the correct temperature. The corn and okra side was also room temperature . However, the service, the atmosphere, the complimentary popcorn, made up for it. That's why I give it four stars.