Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Itta Bena

    4.4 (542 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Itta Bena Southern Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    ITTA BENA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Itta Bena

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Fried Green Tomatoes
    Alexis B.

    Decided to check out Itta Bena on a Friday evening and it did not disappoint! The restaurant is a little hidden, and honestly I probably would've never found it if the person I was with hadn't been before -- but once inside, the atmosphere completely makes up for it. The space is upscale with dim lighting and a very romantic vibe. Perfect for date night, drinks with friends, or just a nice night out. The hostess was welcoming, and we decided to sit at the bar since it wasn't too crowded. Service throughout the evening was excellent. We ordered a few appetizers along with drinks: the lamb chops, crab dip, and fried green tomatoes. Everything was delicious! I personally prefer my lamb chops cooked a little more, but the flavor was still really good. The drinks were made perfectly, and the bartender even put on a little show while making them, which added to the experience. The live music was also a great touch and really elevated the overall ambiance. Overall, great food, great drinks, excellent service, and immaculate vibes. I'll definitely be back!

    Chilean Sea Bass
    Sondra J.

    Restaurant is really nice. The jazz pianist and singer was a very nice touch. The staff were nice and attentive. Giving this place a 3 star for the experience alone because the food was okay at best. Shocking for a Memphis restaurant. I'd come here for the drinks and vibes but go downstairs to BB King's for food.

    Jennifer A.

    The food and drink at Iia Bena was so good! Besides the service the thing that stuck out from me, the most was the ambience. Piano playing guitar playing spacious inside, but felt very private.. They didn't have gluten-free items marked on their menus, but there's no way I would've been able to see them if they had lol everybody was using their flashlight on their phone so don't worry.!!!!

    Interior
    Laura P.

    My sister and I had a lovely evening at Itta Bena in Memphis, TN - classic cocktails and delicious Sourhern inspired meal. We were greeted by a friendly hostess, efficient service and found a lovely, relaxing vibe - a welcome find after a day of travel. Itta Bena touts classic southern fare and that's what we found. My entree of Boneless Braised Short Ribs with mashed potatoes, asparagus and covered with wild mushroom Merlot sauce was fantastic! My sister enjoyed her herbed brined Pork Chop Tomahawk with lemon tiered Blanc and served with sweet potato pecan casserole and maple bacon Brussel sprouts. Southern sides are served family style and include classics like Mac n Cheese, Smoked Gouda grits and creamed spinach. I could have enjoyed a vegetable plate! I hope to return sooner than later!

    Blue Window Wedge
    Joshua P.

    The service and ambience is always on point. This is my third time here and I love the vibes. I ordered the short rib this time and it was good but the gravy was like gel. It wasn't warm enough or something and the flavor wasn't there. Braised short rib should be flavorful and it just missed the mark. I had to add salt and pepper. This was my first time trying this dish. I'm giving them a five because I've been here before and my previous meals didn't disappoint. This dish didn't do it for me. I will stick to what I know. My salad was delicious tho. I will still come back.

    Grace F.

    Service was fantastic, my crab soup and salmon were delicious. The lighting, decor, and ambience seemed to fit the Blues vibe. Bb King Blues Club was downstairs.

    Diana C.

    An absolute must if in Memphis. I was referred here by my wax tech and let me just say it did not disappoint. I highly recommend Cajun Abita Shrimp for an appetizer. It has a kick to it and the flavor was amazing, the beer bread even better when you dip it in the broth. For my entree I got the Atlantic Salmon.....buenísimo. The crisp outside of the fish was perfect. The service was impeccable and I appreciated his recommendations and attentive refills of our waters. Gregory did his thing taking care of us. The ambiance was mellow and chill with the live music in the background. An overall must!

    She-Crab Soup and Caesar salad
    Claralyn B.

    Itta Bena in Memphis is amazing! We were in town with my boyfriend's Mom and took her to dinner. Will and I have been to Itta Bena last year. His Mom really enjoyed our meal. We started with candied bacon charcuterie-style board and crab dip appetizers. They were delicious. The bacon was super thick cut, almost like pork belly thickness. It was served with blueberry jam with chunks of berries, slices of baguette and cheeses. The cream dip was served hot and with toasted baguette slices. Just so delicious! I ordered the stuffed chicken that came with fingerling potatoes and sautéed spinach. My boyfriend ordered the lamb with risotto and it was prepared perfectly. His Mom ordered the crab bisque soup and Caesar salad. We enjoyed sharing a bottle of Malbec wine too. Ambiance is muted and stylish. You can hear the music coming up from B.B. Kings restaurant downstairs. Our server was excellent and attentive. I'd give more than five stars to Itta Bena!l

    Bayou Crab Dip
    Jasmine U.

    I stopped here for a old fashioned and appetizer while visiting Memphis for the first time. Like everywhere I went in this city the service was great and the food was good! I knew I had a dinner later so I only had the crab dip but it was excellent, cheesy, full of crab with bread that could've been toasted a tad longer but still good. The space is an intimate vibe, dim lights, and live music. There was a woman singing and playing piano + a guy on the guitar, they were great. It's located upstairs above BB Kings, lots of great photos of musicians and patrons from way back, reminded me of a museum. I would definitely stop here again on my next time and stay a bit longer. This is a great date night spot and no cover charge like downstairs.

    Ken A.

    Itta Bena was the highlight of our trip to Memphis. Up the unmarked staircase on the end of a bustling street is a little slice of romantic heaven. Riverset Sours and Smokin Blues were our cocktails of choice and were tasty and potent. We tried a little of everything. Pimento dip was wonderfully sweet and the BBQ shrimp were firm and saucy! The tomahawk was cooked to perfection and the short ribs were rich and fall apart lovely. Absolutely no room for dessert! Service was awesome. Thank you, Kelsie

    Oven Baked Mac N' Cheese
    Mollie F.

    We stopped in to Itta Bena for a surprise birthday dinner! They were very accommodating of all our requests and went above to make the experience special. As a larger crowd (8+), the servers were efficient and did a great job ensuring that our drinks were always full. The food was incredible! Everyone was very pleased with what they received and I am still thinking about the mac and cheese. The overall experience was fantastic!

    Boneless beef Boneless Braised Short Ribs with risotto and asparagus
    Kristine C.

    Found this place while searching good restaurants in Memphis. Looks like a speakeasy because it didn't have any signs and wasn't advertised. The food was decent, nothing spectacular. I ordered the boneless short rib and it tasted like beef stew. The server did allow me to swap the garlic mashed potatoes for risotto at no additional cost. For the price of the food, usually should come with complimentary bread service but it didn't. Service was professional. The place was dim with blue lit up windows to give a nice fancy vibe. There was a live pianist and saxophonist around the corner. Ladies restroom was nice. We went with our family of 5 and had a new experience.

    Avocado and Crab Stuffed Avocado
    James F.

    We had a great time at this restaurant. It's a speakeasy style restaurant located on the second floor above B.B. King's jazz lounge. I had the Cajun pasta. It was absolutely delicious. The waiter was super attentive. And added to the overall positive experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

    Blue Window Wedge

    See all

    15 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Laura P.
    419
    1060
    4968

    9 months ago

    Helpful 18
    Thanks 6
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Food and service were wonderful and ambience is spectacular. We had a group awards dinner (50 people) here and everyone loved it!

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon S.
    25
    24
    7

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nene H.
    2
    36
    30

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of D D.
    1
    183
    4

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Larry O.

    Larry O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 3

    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Itta Bena

    Is Itta Bena wheelchair accessible?

    I believe there is an elevator in the back of the first floor to take you to the top floor

    Are walk ins accepted?

    Maybe if you plan on sitting at the bar. I would call them first. JIC!

    Can men wear shorts?

    Yes

    View All 5 Questions

    You might also consider

    McEwen's Memphis - new signage

    McEwen's Memphis

    4.4(658 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown
    $$

    This place was very interesting to me. The look and vibe of it was very nice. It is a more upscale…read morerestaurant which is always nice for a special evening out. The food however was honestly meh (in my opinion). I got a creole dish and to be fair my dish looked beautiful. The plating was 10/10 but the taste for me left something to be desired. After eating this dish I questioned if I even like creole sauce because it really just wasn't that good. If this is a preference issue, I honestly don't know. I also thought the charcuterie appetizer had a weird mix of items on it from club crackers, to meat and cheese, and random veggies. Not bad but just kind of a weird mix. My husband ordered the salmon and he said it was good, not the best he's had but it was good. Other friends of ours got the white fish among the many other dishes. I did have a salad with these apples on it which was incredibly yummy. I will say though my dish looked amazing some of the other dishes were not plated well. Not to nitpick but to want to be considered a more upscale restaurant which means charging guest more money than say a local Applebee's then knowing how to appropriately garnish or drizzle sauce to elevate at plate is important (see my picture of the chicken dish). All and all not my favorite restaurant but definitely not the worst!!

    Cozy little place located downtown. Went on a Saturday night and it wasn't too packed out. Since…read morewe had reservations, we were able to be sitted quickly. Waitress came over to introduce themselves and recommend us starters & drinks for the evening. Starters & Drinks: I ordered the Caesar salad & my man got the goat cheese salad. He ordered a blackberry smash while I got sprakling Pear. Took the waitress some time to come back over so we can order our main course. Took another 30-35 mins for the entrees to come out. Entree: creole spiced braised pork osso buco & short rib pasta. I give this place a 7.5/ 10 due to the food wait times. I will try on another day

    Photos
    McEwen's Memphis
    McEwen's Memphis - Long week in Memphis, dining at one of my favorites!

    Long week in Memphis, dining at one of my favorites!

    McEwen's Memphis - Complimentary biscuit

    See all

    Complimentary biscuit

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    4.5(3.7k reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown
    $$

    Loved everything about Gus's! I avoid meat mostly, but I was…read morenot about to miss trying famous fried chicken! The restaurant is tucked away on a small, empty street. There is plenty of parking in a lot across the street. We went inside and found it to be pretty busy, but we got a table for 4 quickly. The place was clean and homey-feeling and I loved the fact that they used disposable plates, utensils and napkins! It is probably way easier on the crew to clean up, and it adds to the relaxed atmosphere. I had the corn nuggets to start, yum! We finished them easily, they were so good. Then the entree of my chicken tenders, beans, and Mac and cheese came out, along with my sweet tea. The sweet tea was perfect, I drank a whole one during my meal and they gave me another to go in the souvenir Gus's cup. The food was just great, chicken was juicy and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Beans and Mac and cheese, delicious! I ate all of it even though I was stuffed. I even went so far as to order a piece of pecan pie for dessert, but unfortunately our server came back out to tell us they were out of it! Guess it wasn't meant to be (this time)! Our server was really friendly during our whole meal, chatted with us a little and made sure we had a great experience! Bottom line.... Go to Gus's!

    Gus's Fried Chicken was a solid 3 star experience overall. The chicken itself was crispy,…read moreflavorful, and definitely the highlight of the meal. The atmosphere was casual and welcoming, making it a comfortable spot to grab a bite. I wasn't really a fan of the mac and cheese, as it leaned way too heavily on the processed cheese flavor and ended up overly cheesy in a not-so-great way. The texture and taste reminded me more of melted processed cheese than a rich, homemade mac and cheese. However, the service was delightful and easily made up for some of the disappointment with the sides. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcomed throughout the visit. While not everything hit the mark for me, the great service and tasty fried chicken make Gus's worth trying if you're in the mood for comfort food.

    Photos
    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - View from our table

    View from our table

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Up close leg

    Up close leg

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Look for the chicken!

    See all

    Look for the chicken!

    Southern Hands Home Style Cooking - Showing the sides sweet potato's( Candied Yams) and Greens

    Southern Hands Home Style Cooking

    3.9(31 reviews)
    12.4 miRiver Oaks

    Mr. Q at the Southern Hands Kirby location did a wonderful job and provided great customer service…read more My order was mistakenly sent to the wrong restaurant. But Mr. Q was very professional, worked with me by taking care of my order near the close of business. I was greatly appreciative; me and my family really enjoyed the delicious dinner from Southern Hands Home Style Cooking.

    My Dad and I come to this place every time he has a Dr appt since we're out. He always gets the…read moremeatloaf, it's his favorite. I have been trying different meats every time I come. Service is amazing. They are always so nice. They have good music playing. I would rate the ambience as relaxed and friendly. It is reasonably priced and you get a lot of food. I usually eat about half and eat the rest for my next meal. I haven't eaten anything that I didn't like. Everything is so good, and they veggies are fantastic. Fries are crispy with soft middles and they season everything so well. Lately I've been getting the candied yams every time. It's like desert. So tasty. I love that they have boiled ocra, and greens and you get a little cornbread loaf with the meal. We went yesterday and we're going to go again today but Dads appt was cancelled and he didn't want to get out. We will definitely be back! 5 stars every time.

    Photos
    Southern Hands Home Style Cooking - This is the Fried Chicken and cornbread

    This is the Fried Chicken and cornbread

    Southern Hands Home Style Cooking - Kam's Pork Chop, Greens, Mac N Cheese

    Kam's Pork Chop, Greens, Mac N Cheese

    Southern Hands Home Style Cooking - Candied Yams & Cabbage

    See all

    Candied Yams & Cabbage

    Central BBQ - BBQ pork sandwich with slaw

    Central BBQ

    3.9(2.7k reviews)
    0.5 miDowntown
    $$

    We went to the main Central BBQ location which happens to be across the street from the Civil…read moreRights Museum which we visited before stopping in. This location is a large building with lots of seating options. I had to try Central as it keeps winning awards and is consistently mentioned as the top BBQ place in the Memphis area. Some of their awards were displayed at the entrance and on the walls. Lots of history. My wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and had the slaw on the side so I could have it (she's not a slaw fan). I had the small order of ribs with 1/2 dry and 1/2 wet with sides of BBQ Beans and Mac n Cheese. I tried the pulled pork and it was tender and delicious. My ribs were pretty good with my favorite part being the wet ribs. The dry part was overcooked and really dry and chewy. This was a bit of a disappointment. The BBQ beans were flavorful but a bit mushy. The Mac n cheese also mushy a bit but tasted better than it looked. I love great BBQ so I like Central BBQ but may have caught them on a bad day. Oh, they were out of a lot of T Shirt options/size I wanted too. Darn. I wanted to buy one. I would return and try the brisket, pulled pork or poultry items next time.

    There was a time when Central barbecue was the only place I would eat barbecue in Memphis. But food…read moreand service has ruined that. I visited the downtown location on 5/24/26 at 6:15 PM. I ordered wings and two dry slabs of ribs. When my family and I finally decided to eat the ribs on Monday, they were disgusting. They had seasoning caked all on them, and they were overly salty. We wiped off the caked-on seasoning and tried to eat around the saltiness. I was praying the 2nd slab was not the same. When I opened them on 5/27 to see, they were the same. I was trying to avoid calling because I just didn't feel like being bothered. But I called. I left a message for the manager to return my call that morning because "he is in the middle of an interview." So I called back that afternoon and was transferred to Ethan. I explained the situation to him. As I was speaking, he kept making the noise un-huh. So, I stopped talking and asked him what it meant aside from it just being rude as hell. He went on to explain that they missed a step and did not rub in the seasoning and shake it off. I don't care. It's an internal quality issue that should be handled with the prep and cook staff. Not me. He asked if I had my receipt and, in a tone that suggested he was doing me a favor, advised me that he would replace the slab. No apologies for the inconvenience or anything.   After my long workday, I went all the way downtown to get the slab replaced. In person, Ethan is just as rude. I asked if he was going to replace both slabs. He could clearly see the quality was trash. He said no and that he would only replace one. Then went on to offer me sides and a slice of cake. No, thank you. I can afford sides and cake just like I did those trash slabs of ribs. Those slabs of ribs cost $62.40 before taxes. With taxes probably being another 5 or 6 dollars. Your mistakes and poor quality should not cost me. He had a young lady bring the replacement slab back out to me. She didn't say thank you or anything. One thing I know is that a white man or woman patronizing your business would not have been treated this way. As a result, moving forward I will spend my Black woman dollars elsewhere on barbeque and smoked chicken wings. Also, I removed you all from my company's approved catering list where we spend a nice amount with you all yearly. Tell Ethan, thanks for helping me see the light and not spend money where I'm not respected and where my customer experience isn't valued.

    Photos
    Central BBQ - View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    Central BBQ - I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    Central BBQ - Front ordering counter

    See all

    Front ordering counter

    Itta Bena - southern - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...