Jeez, what can I say about Memphis? Been going there since day 1 and now it has grown to be an OC institution, great job Dan, Diego, and staff. I actually prefer it for lunch over dinner as the chairs and tables are not the most comfortable for a leisurely meal. Lunches on the weekends are much quieter than the jam packed weekdays. The Saturday and Sunday brunch menus have some creative choices but I usually ask if they can whip me up a po-boy and they always grant my wish. My favorites; Shrimp or catfish po-boys, portobello mushroom sandwich, gumbo, blue corn chicken salad and the zuni frybread. All of these choices are great wine food and they always have a constantly changing list of interesting selections. They can also be counted on for a great steak if you are in a meat mood. They always seem to have some of the coolest btenders in OC, Dave, Mikee, Noel, and now Paul, and many others through the years. Just an all around well run/staffed business. Keep it up Memphis Crew!! read more

One of my husband's colleague suggested that we all meet up for lunch on a Friday at Memphis Cafe. Around 1230, not only the resto was packed, so was parking.. very hard to get a spot :( We sat in the patio. Service was good during that busy hour. After all of our party arrived, the hostess took our order and went through the specials. She offered a sample of Shrimp corn chowder - it was real good with hint of cajun flavor to it. We ordered chicken quesadilla, shrimp corn chowder, pulled pork sandwich, chicken sandwich, shrimp gumbo. Fries are shoe-string and crispy. Not a big fan though. All in all good service, ambiance and food. read more

I went to this place for breakfast a couple of times and the food was always amazing - especially the eggs Benedict , Mimosas and bloody Mary's P.s. the parking can be a challenge read more

Went for lunch with a friend and hadn't been there in a really long time. The food was delicious and did not disappoint. Definately sit on the patio and share the deviled egg appetizers. So yummy! Can't beat their fried chicken! read more

Recently had a great time at happy hour here w my Mama who is visitng from Tennessee... It was Burger night so my Man and I split the Bison and Ahi Burgers and both were good... The Beet & Goat cheese Salad has been my fav for years and I'm never disappointed when I order it w Blackened Chicken on top... Had to send back my Pinot Grigio back because it was so buttery it tasted like a crappy Chardonnay which isn't my fav, which kinda resulted in our waiter turning all sulky like a big baby but life's too short to cry about stupid stuff so won't dock any points off the restaurant for the service slight... Would recommend sticking to cocktails and skipping the dry lumps they call cornbread unless you slather it w honey so it slides down your throat easier! read more

If this restaurant hasn't been on Triple D it should be. Memphis Cafe feels so cozy, with comfort food that delivers! The cocktails are craft, delicious and strong. read more

Definitely one of our favorite places we tried in Costa Mesa. It's a cool, small divey bar and breakfast joint, but they are more than accommodating to children. They have a kids menu, coloring page, and crayons, as well as high chairs. My husband and I both started with a Bloody Mary, which was served in a short glass with a lime and olive. They were very strong drinks, I couldn't finish mine! I ordered the crawfish omelet. This was surprisingly very satisfying and delicious. The omelet has crawfish étouffée on top of it, which is a rich stew. There was dirty rice on the side, which I believe also had crawfish mixed in. This was the perfect breakfast for me: hearty, protein packed, but not too heavy or greasy. My husband ordered the fried chicken and waffles. The fried chicken was very delicious! We got one pancake for our daughter, and we were all raving about how delicious it was. It had a cake batter taste to it. It was hard for us not to just go here for every meal on our trip. read more

I can't say enough great things about Memphis. We've been patrons since they first opened and it is our go to place since then. Gets us out of south orange county. Great vibe, food, service. Innovative and down to earth. Serves breakfast all day. Recommend the shrimp and grits and split a cup of gumbo. read more

My favorite lunch spot. The menu is great and the food delicious. The staff are so friendly and good at what they do. And it has a great vibe. read more

Great crab cakes super fresh relaxed Atmosphere wonderful service thank you Robert for going above and beyond

Took International guests in for brunch, and Memphis did not disappoint. They had traditional breakfasts... Southern Benedict and eggs, and shrimp and grits, and were thrilled. The S.B. is really something special with the red Hollandaise, and the meat is a knockout! I had something a little sweeter, the stuffed French toast, and was forced to share. Coffees all around were nice and strong :-) We will keep bringing friends here! read more

Memphis Cafe - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The service was good, but the food was average. I got the bacon barbecue burger and my boyfriend got the pulled pork sandwich.

What a bizarre place.. Located on a corner dirt lot in Costa Mesa, Memphis cafe is definitely an interesting find. Extremely small shack like building that is barely lit at all inside. We should have sat inside but instead opted for the dungeon. I came here Saturday afternoon and ordered a Cesar Salad and was very disappointed. It came with some small tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and a few shavings of cheese. Depressing is the word that comes to mind with this dish. We also ordered the barbecued shrimp and grits which was better but wasn't a large portion at all. It had a TexMex like salsa sauce on top which flavored it well. Good dish if you like grits. 2 stars for the constant good music. Beyond that, this place is too bizarre for a second visit. read more

Memphis Cafe - Barbecued shrimp and grits. $15 for this kind of portion?? - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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MUST ORDER THE BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN!!!! Loved the ambience as well. A bit dark but definitely great for a date night! They also had an artist painting. Such romance! read more

Love this place with all my heart. Have been visiting for 5 years now and can't wait until the next time. Absolutely have to have shrimp and grits with poached egg. Chicken and waffles is killer as well. The meat loaf is delicious and always recommended. Decent bar as well if you're in the mood for a drink read more

Can't say enough for our experience at the Memphis Cafe. We came in for a early dinner, and it was all I had hoped for. The drink special was delicious, the food fantastic, and the wait staff was wonderful. We ordered two appetizers and two entrees. Devilled eggs were great, and the beet salad, and the fired chicken sandwich were to die for. I would definitely go back! read more

First of all it's one thing to say you know I'm sorry we just don't have straws here, but to add that your doing your part to help the environment is bullshit your just to cheap to buy straws which is fine. The food was ok no complaints there. The vibe was definitely not friendly to all races in my opinion we were served last and our waitress took off to enjoy some white wine at the table next to us instead of closing out our bill. Super unprofessional. read more

Obsessed w this place. We come at least once a month for the crab cakes (the sauce is out of control- so good). You can actually taste the fresh crab. BBQ shrimp and grits are amazing, make sure to order green chili grits when too come here. Catfish po boy is a worthy mention too- it's huuuuge and so so good. read more

Collard greens are over cooked and very salty. Too much shrimp in the shrimp frittata. Mimosas are good. read more

Memphis Cafe - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This place is super cute and great food. Unassuming casual vibe. Had the burger and added an egg. Sweet potato fries on point. The southern Benedict was awesome - the brisket had a great flavor. Also the pozole (a special) was legit. read more

Memphis Cafe - Yessss perfectly cooked burger with a fried egg - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Hipster and trendy spot...small and quaint. Great for a date night or good catch up spot with a friend! Fried Chicken: Not bad as how all the other reviews I read were. Maybe cause mine came out a little under room temperature & its all white meat (Imma a dark meat kinda guy) Blue Corn Chicken Salad: This a very tasty and refreshing salad. highly recommended! Pulled pork sliders: Pretty good, nice plate to order to share a quick bite Smoked Chicken & Brie Quesadilla: I was really excited about this...but came out to be nothing special. Something you can probably make at home. Matchstick fries: LOVE THESE DAMN FRIES!!!! So addicting! Get some aoili sauce....and its over....I could eat this alone!!! I would recommend this place, little over-priced for the food you get.....but pay to play...to be hip-ster read more

Memphis Cafe - Love their thin fries! Ask for a side of their Chipotle Aioli too! - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Can I say this place is legit! Jackie was super helpful! We had the blackened and fried catfish poboy. Let me say it was as big as my head and cooked to perfection! The shoestring fries were excellent. The crabcakes were delicious. We couldn't try the gumbo since we were full. The coleslaw was superb! We will definitely come by and try for what they are known for, their fried chicken! Even our super picky 5yo loved the flavors! Thanks Jackie we will be back! read more

The bar is okay - a bit overpriced. I was impressed with the Cucumber Collins though. That was probably the ONLY highlight of this place. Besides the nice decor and the mellow vibe, the food is WAY overpriced, bland and should not be classified as soul food... I guess it is a South Orange County place for "soul food" and the people who enjoy the food obviously never had soul food. I had the chicken gumbo... and WOW, what a disappointment! It was a sloppy thick broth with 3 pieces of okra, a quarter cup of rice, 1 large shrimp and 4 pieces of chicken. Serving such meager portions with very little taste would be a disgrace to ANYONE who has had real gumbo. My southern friends would most definitely NOT approve. read more

Visited for brunch on a late Sunday morning and had a solid 3 of 5 star experience. Parking is valet only in the lot (my husband and I never valet). There is limited street parking adjacent to the lot. We parked across Baker St. Parking wasn't necessarily an issue, but it definitely was not convenient. The establishment is super retro. The inside is fairly small inside and very dark; they also have an outside covered patio to accommodate more seating. It should be noted that the restrooms are single capacity. We were seated quickly and attended to quickly in the beginning. After we received our drinks and place our orders, the service slowed way way down. My water glass was empty, my coffee only refilled once at the end of my meal. Some other soda glasses were taken from our table to be refilled but never returned. Based on other reviews, sounds like we just came on an off day. The food came out fast. The food was good and there were a lot of unique choices. Though the food lacked "wow" factor, it was still tasty on the palate. All in all, I can't say this is the type of place I will want to return to as a regular, but it's worth a visit if you haven't been and you can make your own decision about your experience! read more

I agree that the fried chicken is awesome. I was craving it all yesterday and rushed as soon as I got out of work only to find that dinner seating ended at 8 (It was 8:20). WHAT kind of place stops serving at 8? Anyway...I thought their flatiron steak was kind of tough, but they have a menu with great variety and pretty cool decor. It is kind of run down looking in some ways, but it's in the lab and has this trendy feel. Somehow that place always feels kind of empty to me, even if it's full of people (the lab, I mean). Their cornbread is pretty tasty too. A little pricey for what you get, I think, but I definitely want to go back (for chicken. Grrr...) --------I must update about this. After my above comment, I received a message on yelp from the general manager explaining that there was a special event scheduled that night so seating does not usually stop so early. He apologized that I did not get to satisfy my chicken craving and said to print the message for a free dessert or appetizer. Talk about customer service! I'm so impressed I have to give it 5 stars. read more

Came here for brunch, LOVE IT. Everything on the menu is good. I had the egg benedict, it was great. However, I like lobster benedict better @ the Beach House in Laguna Hills. My friend had the egg frittata, which I liked a lot better than my own dish. I got regular coffee as my drink, nice and strong to keep me going for the day. And, better yet, none-stop refill ^_^ I was really wired for the rest of the day! read more

You can book reservations online using Yelp! Fried chicken and waffles... amazing. read more

I came out for weekend brunch. Breakfast and mimosas. Food was a little disappointing. My crawfish omelette was pretty watery. If I wanted to eat like that, I could just ask my dad to cook. I had the rest of my girlfriend's veggie omelette and that tasted a little funny as well, not sure what was different about it. Service is fast and friendly. Prices aren't too bad at least. read more

We came here for Sunday brunch. The seating was a bit awkward as they sat us right in front of the door. With 9 people in our group, it was annoying to have everyone tripping over us, not to mention the music was BLASTING. We had a reservation so it's not like they didn't know we were coming. Service was slow, food was ok, waitress made a good call to just order a bottle of champagne for mimosas for $12 instead of $3 a glass. There are way better places to go in the area and I probably won't be back. read more

Memphis Cafe - They have quite the selection - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I came here for lunch on a Saturday before flying out of John Wayne. I was here with friends after a bike ride so we brought our appetites. I ordered one of the daily specials: flank steak with eggs and a potato hash, washed down with coffee and a mimosa. The flavor of the steak was very good. Unfortunately "medium RARE +" may not translate well in the OC. The steak was very much overcooked; it came back medium WELL. It was still pretty tender and the flash fried spinach leaves were a great addition to the seasoning. The eggs were well prepared, and the potato hash was nice and crispy. One of my friends ordered a burger from the menu. She enjoyed it, but it was not prepared to her order, either. I don't know if the incorrect order was a problem with the waiter's attention, his notes, or a miscommunication in the kitchen. Again, it was good, but not exactly as ordered so I'll ding Memphis one star for those errors. We didn't have the luxury of time and we were quite hungry, so we chose not to send it back to get it right. But make sure to check your order carefully so Memphis can improve their experience. read more

Memphis Cafe - Flank steak and eggs special. Served with flash fried spinach and potato hash. - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is amazing!! Everything I have ever tried here is outstanding. From the fresh corn bread to their cocktails, I'm always looking forward to returning here. It's a small place but the food is unbeatable. Their mussels bowl is full of flavor, and I highly suggest the fresh fish (I loved the salmon). My fish came with goat cheese mashed potatoes ... I could've eaten an entire bowl. They serve brunch daily from 8am to 3pm which is awesome! read more

After a delayed flight from NorCal got here around 10pm really hungry. Unfortunately I didn't realize at that time they have a limited late night menu. So ordered a burger, chicken quesadilla and pulled pork sliders. The burger and fries were both good, the quesadilla and sliders good but nothing exceptional. The service was friendly the only problem was our server disappeared in the middle of our meal and had to look for help to order a beer. I don't think I'd go out of my way to eat here again but again not bad either. read more

Great food just service is meh very long wait times. Excessive wait 1hr plus even when you have been seated and there are times you still have you waiting. If you have time then I do recommend food is pretty good here more on the heavy side but definitely tastes good. We use to go every week until our bodies caught up to us hahaha but we enjoyed it I would say visiting Memphis every so often no problem :) read more

Had been in OC for the night and stopped by on the way back in to L.A. and I regret nothing! Seated quickly. The wife's shrimp and grits were amazing. My chicken and waffle, the same! Patio dining, masked staff, great food and drinks! Took some time to receive our food but our waitress had advised the kitchen was a little backed up (no biggie). Definitely a nice spin on Southern cuisine... fresh, clean, not too heavy, but still packed with great flavor! read more

Excellent gravy. Best ever at a restaurant. Fried chicken is so good. Not greasy at all.

I try so hard to like Memphis for food, but alas, I just can't get behind it. I had the shrimp taco's last time I was there, and it was good. Nothing special. I've had salads there, sausage trio, but it wasn't that great. Now you must be thinking why the four stars... it all comes down to the drinks. I ordered a Jameson and Ginger... well hello there. Tried their speciality cucumber cocktail.... buene jour! I've tried different drinks and never have been disappointed! On the rare occasion that there is a lull at the bar, the bartender will sit and chat with us, making up different drinks and gives tutorials on mixology! If you're going for food, I'd rate Memphis with a 2 maybe a 3 star rating. But if you're going for drinks and a good time, a solid 4 star place! read more

Memphis Cafe - Very mood, but man do they know how to make a cocktail! - Southern Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Down the street from the most expensive yoga in Costa Mesa and hiding in the shadows of The Lab is a tiny unassuming building that still has gravel in the parking lot. Is it a meth lab? A vampire den? Sadly no, but to avoid confusion they've updated the exterior to jive with the surrounding 18-30ish haute couture hipster hangouts. Tattoos and toddlers. Healthy and hungover. Skinny jeans and big beards. Vegans and vespas...you get it. It's time to go behind the velvet curtain y'all. I promise you'll be glad you did... Memphis is dark even in the daytime - including the patio, and that's one of the reasons I feel at home here. The drinks are strong, the service is great, the vibe is chill and the food - I mean I have made so many special trips here even for takeout. Their unique take on a house salad, sweet cornbread and delicious gumbo is the ONLY comfort food I need when I am sick. That's also my go to order when we dine in, though the fried chicken and some of their specials are pretty tasty too. I've never had a bland meal, a weak drink, or a bad time here. There was a Santa Ana location but it closed - my theory is it had too many windows..."the light, it burns, it buuuurrrrrrrnnnnnnssss" read more

Mommy and daddy always order the chicken and waffles. They say it's the best around but I don't know what they mean because it's the ONLY chicken and waffles I ever saw! They like the coffee a lot too. I like pancakes. read more

I was looking for a new and exciting place to have brunch with my friend today. I reserved a table at Memphis Cafe using the link on my Yelp app the night before. This restaurant is located on Bristol just past the LAB and has it's own parking lot. There's no parking available on the street, so you gotta use the free valet. The interior of the restaurant was small, dim, & a little grungy. Thank goodness that I asked to be seated on the patio (or was I?) because it makes me utterly crazy to eat in dark & depressing spaces. I can't feast with my eyes... The patio? Bright but LOUD!!!! The acoustics are bad. Really bad and everyone's conversations were amplified. What's more, we were seated at a table close to the kitchen, so we were constantly hearing the clanging of dishes, not to mention the visual of basins with dirty plates. I tried not to look over in that direction during my meal. The table that we were seated at was also unusually narrow in width, but even when my friend and I leaned in to talk, we had to YELL! We started our meal with MIMOSAS which were surprisingly cheap for $5. Sounded too good to be true... and it was. I was originally thinking that my friend and I could enjoy ourselves and have 2-3 a piece, which would be almost equivalent to a bottomless mimosa special elsewhere. Unfortunately, the "sparkling brut" didn't agree with me. It gave me a little headache. I think that I prefer my mimosas with champagne or a nice prosecco. Nevertheless, we stopped at one each. Plus, the loud environment wasn't conducive for leisurely sipping anything. From the popular pictures posted on Yelp, we surmised that the BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN & WAFFLES and the BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN house special were the favorites and so that's what we ordered. I was a little skeptical about the "breast" meat that the restaurant used for their fried chicken because breast meat can be dry. I prefer thigh meat, but the fried chicken breast was surprisingly moist. It appeared to be slightly pounded for even cooking & brined to maintain the moisture. The fried chicken was my favorite part!! It wasn't crispy throughout because it was drenched in gravy. I wish that they had put the gravy over the mashed potatoes, which were good. Didn't like the collard greens one bit. Although collards can be expected to be a little bitter, I found this version to have a distinct vinegar note to it. Missing were the savory flavors from the lard & ham hocks. No trace of the porky goodness. This version of collards wasn't my favorite and therefore left untouched. My friend's eggs were cooked perfectly over hard. The waffle was ok. Nothing distinctive. What I did notice was the sticky fingers that I would get each time after handling the maple syrup. Should've been wiped down between uses. The service was good but we couldn't wait to get the heck out of there... read more

The BEST spot in Costa Mesa hands up!!' read more

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