Babalu is a latin restaurant in Overton Square, Memphis.
Babalu in Overton Square Memphis runs Southern cooking with Latin flair from a Madison Avenue patio, with tableside guacamole, tacos and craft cocktails.
Editorially verified May 20, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Tableside guacamole, Tacos
Must order: Tableside guacamole, then the carnitas tacos.
Tip: The patio is the seat in spring; Sunday brunch is the easier seat than weekend dinner.
Address: 2115 Madison Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
Mosa Asian Bistro on White Station Road in East Memphis runs a Chinese, Thai, Korean and Vietnamese menu from a strip-mall favoured by chefs on their nights.
Signature: Beef pho, Spicy Korean noodles
Order: Beef pho and spicy Korean noodles.
Tip: Lunch is the easier seat; the room fills with regulars after 18:00. Closed Mondays.
Sage Restaurant is a soul fusion room on South Main in Memphis from Chef Eli Townsend, with globally influenced Southern comfort food and a downtown rooftop.
Signature: Chicken and waffles, Catfish
Order: Chicken and waffles; the catfish if it is on the night's menu.
Tip: Wednesday to Sunday dinner; the rooftop opens earlier than the dining room on weekends.
Hen House on South Mendenhall in East Memphis runs an eclectic wine-bar-and-eatery menu with charcuterie, salads, pastas and the crispy chicken sandwich.
Signature: Crispy chicken sandwich, Hen House burger
Order: Crispy chicken sandwich or the Hen House burger.
Tip: Open Sun-Thu evenings, with weekend lunch service Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00.
Owen Brennan's in Regalia on Poplar Avenue is a long-running East Memphis Creole-Cajun room with French Quarter styling, baked oysters and tableside bananas.
Signature: Oysters Brennan, Bananas Foster
Order: Oysters Brennan to start and bananas Foster prepared tableside for dessert.
Tip: Reserve online; the Sunday jazz brunch and the tableside bananas Foster are the marquee orders.
Memphis Pizza Cafe's Madison Avenue midtown room has run thin-crust by the slice and house specialty pies since 1991, a casual midtown standby with a side.
Signature: Pizza by the slice, The Hippie
Order: The Hippie pizza with feta and pesto.
Tip: Open daily for lunch and dinner; the patio is the seat in spring. Multiple locations across Memphis run the same menu.
Central BBQ's Midtown Memphis room on Central Avenue is the chain's original, opened in 2002 with dry-rub ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and BBQ nachos.
Signature: Pulled pork, BBQ nachos
Order: Pulled pork sandwich with BBQ nachos to share.
Tip: The patio is the seat; the dining room fills fast at lunch. Online ordering skips the line.
