Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Second Line

    3.8 (443 reviews)
    ModerateCajun/Creole, Bars, Salad
    Closed 10:30 am - 10:00 pm

    The Second Line Photos

    Business Info

    THE SECOND LINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Second Line

    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

    Lobster Knuckle Sandwich.  Dayumn
    Adam H.

    If I were to really put the time and effort into understanding and then describing my favorite kinds of places to eat it would tell a story, and that story would likely end up sounding like The Second Line feels to me. I feel like this place embodies the essence of my inner peace somehow. It was born as a overflow bar for Iris from the lore I hear. To me, as I see it, this place became Chef Kelly's escape to reality as far as food, atmosphere, and service are concerned. I think this place presents his personality in his relaxed more chill version. If you have ever been to Iris, specifically, when it was next door, you would understand what I mean. When it was the tiny place it had some kind of pretentiousness to it that just turned me off. I only ate there once. It would take weeks to get a reservation before he moved it and the constant limelight had to be a lot of pressure. This place though.... I could come here three times a week no issue. In fact, I actually wish that I could eat here three days a week. Second Line is moving soon. They are going back to being next door to Iris in the newer Laurelwood location. In some ways I wonder if Chef needs that jovial comfort of a place next to Iris to keep him grounded. I do hope the charm of this is somehow transferred, but looking out the windows into Cooper the last time I was here Dec '25, just will not be a possibility in that shopping center it's headed to. That will be lost. He's a great guy! Hell of a Chef! World class employer! Tremendous philanthropist! A leader in the City of Memphis! Please go support him in the new location. Now.... All that BS and I ain't said shit about the food and why I like this place so much. If you scroll through my photos you will see almost every dish that has ever been on the menu here. Some are fantastic! All are very good! I have had nothing but great food here for many years! I have only had one bad meal here. Catfish Picante and it is long gone it seems! I wrote a long ass draft I never published (thank god), after that visit. I do believe it was my first time here and I almost didn't return. What a waste that would have been. My favorites now are Sweet Heat Oysters, Chicken Livers with pepper jelly, that lobster knuckle sandwich from waaaay back, spinach Madeline, and of course... the Red Beans and Rice. The desserts are always killer as well. I guess I'll catch you at the new place soon! Love you guys!! '25 - Finale

    Sarah P.

    The best cajun food I have had in Memphis. The gumbo had so much flavor. I have ordered it at a lot of other places, and it is always so bland. But not here! The flavor was fantastic. Our server was great. The ambiance was nice and dark. We will definitely be back!

    French fries and BBQ shrimp! I already ate the bread that came with it!
    Christi P.

    We sat at the bar and had drinks and appetizers. We had the spinach Madeline, house cut fries and the BBQ shrimp. We loved everything we ordered. Drinks were good and the service was great too. We will definitely be back!

    Fried Gulf Shrimp Po'Boy
    Amber B.

    Had a good time here for happy hour. The po boys were ok, but the fries and liver were the highlight of the meals. The vibes were good and so were the margaritas. Second line is always a solid place to go to

    Julie G.

    Food was good and the service was excellent and they were busy on a Friday night ... sat in the swamp bar out back and it was awesome

    Half po boy
    Ally H.

    We came at an odd time so the place was dead for lunch. Roe was killing it serving because she was the only person in the place. Food was good, prices are definitely high for what you get. I wouldn't choose to come back but I would definitely come back if someone else picked.

    Semaria S.

    I wanted to try and new spot for our monthly bookclub meeting. I've been meaning to check out this spot for happy hour and decided to see what the brunch Menu had to offer. Parking wasn't too bad as it was Sunday. I opted to park in the nearby garage as it was free. The colorful entry is welcoming. Upon entry I was promptly seated.. Reservation: simple to do via Resy Service: amazing Food: Buttermilk pancakes with blueberry and bacon; this person was huge. I was not expecting the size. Delicious! Cheese grits: first serving was super salty. Immediately corrected issue and the next bowl was so much better. Biscuits and gravy was fantastic. Cocktail: When Life Gives You Lemons: vodka, fresh lemonade and lavender pea flower syrup. I was expecting a sweet flavor however it has just the right amount of tartness. Rating: 5/5

    Spinach Madeleine
    Ajay G.

    The bartenders here are awesome and were very welcoming to me last Sunday! The catfish was tasty! Even though I wish it wasn't farm-raised, the flavor was comforting. The spinach madeleine was good, but had a lot of cream. This place can be casual, but also a nice spot for a special occasion!

    Crawfish etoufee

    Everything was excellent. Even saw Kelly English. We had the bbq shrimp, crawfish etoufee and roast beef poboy. Staff was amazing.

    Steak Night!
    Tippi E.

    The hubby and I were looking for someplace different. We ended up here. We loved the New Orleans vibe. The service was super friendly. The food was delicious. We came on Sunday Steak Night. Surprise! Salad, steak, and a loaded potato. It was all perfect. We finished it off with bread pudding, so yummy. Now all we need is a nap.

    This is a great meal for lunch. Come hungry
    Jason D.

    Always a great day at the second line. I love this place. Have been several times. I wish the weather was like this 4 days a a week! Come out and check it out. Drinks are good and food is wonderful

    Muffuletta (close up, and half upside down)

    See all

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary E.
    272
    23
    23

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Darla W.
    102
    23
    86

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C R.
    1
    108
    0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Romaro M.
    252
    37
    30

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A C.
    30
    184
    200

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bob G.
    1
    73
    20

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katy M.
    238
    4
    0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Deb S.
    60
    18
    0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Teresa S.
    13
    121
    35

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Great food and service! The Verno may be the best thing in the menu! The Besh Shrimp and red beans and rice are also a great order!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Shrimp and grits ya'll... !... get some!... great service from the bartender and excellent food!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Had the gumbo and jambalaya the other day. Both were excellent albeit a bit overpriced. Would definitely recommend.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C P.
    0
    1
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jess J.
    282
    9
    30

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Curtis M.
    300
    54
    7

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 5 of 12

    Ask the Community - The Second Line

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Cajun/Creole 1,195 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Hen House - Martini

    Hen House

    4.3(208 reviews)
    1.0 miColonial
    $$

    Vibes- very cool, artsy location with dim lighting and an eclectic crowd…read moreDrinks- pretty & strong, but probably 8/10 on flavor Pasta- 10/10 probably hands down the best pasta I've had in a long while. Rich, well seasoned, and fresh Service was also awesome and there's a secret dessert menu our group really enjoyed!

    It pains me to have to leave this review. I came here once before several months ago and was very…read moreimpressed. I had a fantastic espresso martini and the best brussel sprouts I've ever tasted! So I was excited to come try something else. On the plus side, the bathroom was so nicely decorated. It was also very clean. I sat at the end of the bar, beside the little section of books. The bartender was nice. I ordered the Ember&Passion cocktail. Although it was pretty good, it was quite mild. Unexpected with the ingredients in it. I was surprised that the level of expected heat was not very detectable. I give it 7/10. When I came here before in the winter, the temperature was perfect and I don't remember being too bothered that they don't have cocktail napkins. But yesterday it was quite warm in the restaurant and not having these napkins wasn't good. Nobody in the restaurant had any type of napkin under any drink! I noticed that just like mine, every glass of water from every patron had a puddle of condensation under the glass. Each time I picked up my glass of water, it would drip onto my food and clothes. My two menus got so wet. I suppose they made this decision to save themselves a lot of money. As for the food: My parmesan truffle fries were excellent!! Hot, crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked in the middle. Best I've had in a long time. The Alabama white sauce on the side was just your typical sauce. It tasted just like every other Alabama white sauce that I've had so was not disappointing. But I actually ended up not using it because it was too thin and it didn't add anything to the fries. The fries were excellent enough on their own. I ordered my burger "pink" but there wasn't any pink to it, but I wasn't that bothered about it. Burger and the toppings were tasty, except for the fried green tomato. Looking closely at the picture, you can see that it was SO SMALL compared to the size of the burger. When a restaurant does that, don't they realize that it makes for a glaring disappointment?! It apparently came from near the end of the tomato, and not the middle. If you are going to offer a fried green tomato on a burger, then I feel as if you should only use the larger slices of the tomato, and save the smaller ends for maybe putting in salads. I've always been obsessed with fried green tomatoes. After having my first two bites of burger and still not reaching the tomato, I took it off to eat by itself. Sadly, it tasted terrible! I was surprised. Obviously, they didn't season the tomato or the batter. (Salt and pepper go a long way.) The burger toppings apparently made the tomato batter not only soggy, but also this strange thick texture. Like mushy and chewy at the same time. 1/10 Worst problem: FLIES!!! So many flies! When I just had my drink but no food yet, I noticed them but was not bombarded by them at that point. It wasn't until my food came. All of a sudden I was literally surrounded by them. They were everywhere! No exaggeration. I actually had to use only one hand to eat and the other hand to constantly move back and forth over my food. I eventually gave up and set the plate of some of my fries about 4 inches in front of my burger in order to hopefully draw the flies to the fries so that I could eat my burger. Unfortunately, after only four bites of my burger, when I set it down to take a drink of water, a fly landed on it within one second. Obviously, that was my last bite, and even when I was moving the plate closer to the end of the counter, two more flies landed on it. The glass of straws was inches from me. That, and the book closest to me seemed to be where they gathered to wait for their opportunity to dive bomb me. So many of them! It turned my stomach when I realized that I had been drinking from a straw with my water and I'm sure there had been flies on it before I got there. Every person that gets a straw in their drink at this restaurant has had a fly sitting on top of it. When the bartender told me about the desserts, it turned my stomach to think of just how many flies were in the kitchen. Had I known the fly situation was that bad when I first got my drink, I would have never stayed there, and I certainly would have never ordered food. I do think it is a real shame because the winter months are a totally different experience in that restaurant. But because of how horrible it was this time, I just can't ever come back.

    Photos
    Hen House - Entrance

    Entrance

    Hen House - Wedge Salad

    Wedge Salad

    Hen House

    See all

    Brookhaven Pub & Grill - Grilled chicken sandwich

    Brookhaven Pub & Grill

    3.5(158 reviews)
    1.2 miBrennan
    $$

    (Chopped boyfriend review) Server was really chill and nice, both of our meals were incredible, and…read morethe outdoor patio was really chill and felt great. (Gf review) went w chopped boyfriend, ate w chopped boyfriend, enjoyed w chopped boyfriend. Love chopped boyfriend approved

    I got a burger and tater tots. Unfortunately they messed my burger up twice with pickles. The…read morewaitress insisted she had told them no pickles and had it written down so it wasn't an issue with her not being able to hear me when I ordered- it was LOUD in the outside patio, which was not my choice because of the flies, but they were renovating inside at the time. I didn't want them to make it a third time because it took so long to remake it originally that everyone else had already eaten and my wife had shared hers. When I did eat it, the burger was dry. I asked for medium but you couldn't see any red to it like you should for medium. Pretzel bread didn't have a taste to it and I expected it to taste different. I've had better burgers at fast food places. I was able to eat the tater tots while waiting for the burger. They were not good. They were either overly salted or oil they were being fried in needed to be replaced. They were crunchy all throughout instead of just the outer crust. Maybe the oil was the wrong temp or they were just overcooked.

    Photos
    Brookhaven Pub & Grill
    Brookhaven Pub & Grill - Jalapeño chicken wrap

    Jalapeño chicken wrap

    Brookhaven Pub & Grill - Buckets of domestic beer for football

    See all

    Buckets of domestic beer for football

    Bog & Barley - Beef tartare

    Bog & Barley

    4.5(312 reviews)
    3.2 miRiver Oaks
    $$

    We recently became empty nesters and have decided to try one new restaurant each weekend. This…read moreweekend we ended up at Bog & Barley and it did NOT disappoint. The restaurant has a really neat vibe and is decorated better than most of the restaurants in the memphis area. We came at 5:00 on a Saturday night and we were seated immediately without reservations, but when we left, they did have a small wait to get a table. We started with the pimento cheese toastie which was garlic bread with melty pimento cheese on top. We both really enjoyed it. I decided on the filet with peppercorn sauce. I asked for it it to be butterflied. My steak was cooked to perfection with the perfect amount of pink and it sliced like butter. I got the peppercorn sauce on the side and used it for a dipping sauce. I really liked the sauce, but it is really peppery. While I loved it, some might find it a little spicy. My husband had the bourbon glazed porterhouse pork chop. His was cooked perfectly fly as well and was super tender. He really enjoyed it, but mentioned that the sauce did have something in it that gave it a little spice. We shared an order of rosemary duck fat fries as the entrees come à la cart with no sides. The fries re heavy on rosemary which my husband didn't care for. I enjoyed them, but they were definitely not my favorite. Neither of us cared for the mayo sauce that they came with and preferred to eat them with ketchup. Overall it was a great experience and we will definitely be back!

    The service was fantastic. Some appears to be rush or don't want to be bothered. But overall, they…read moreare very good. Fanatic decore, and ambiance. It is a good place to go to socialize. Unfortunately, the food has been consistently underwhelming during my recent visits. I first ordered the lamb chops. They were not what I would consider traditional lamb chops and were surprisingly chewy and difficult to enjoy. I returned and decided to try the Irish Curry Chicken. It was, without exaggeration, one of the worst dishes I've had there. The menu described it as chicken thigh, but it was clearly chicken breast. The dish lacked basic seasoning and flavor. There was very little salt, umami, or curry flavor. The rice was wet, overcooked, and mushy. Overall, the entire meal tasted like something taken from a grocery store freezer section and reheated. At this point, I would recommend sticking to the fries and the burgers, which remain the strongest items on the menu.

    Photos
    Bog & Barley - One open area, which they also offer booths and private dining.

    One open area, which they also offer booths and private dining.

    Bog & Barley - Muscles and Pimento Cheese

    Muscles and Pimento Cheese

    Bog & Barley - Manhattan

    See all

    Manhattan

    The Second Line - cajun - Updated August 2026

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