Guest Feedback

The past few years my husband and I have always turned to Iris for those events we want to make special — a birthday, an out-of-town guest, a new job. We love the food and the staff. They feel like an extension of our family.

So when it was time for our five-year anniversary, we naturally agreed to celebrate at Iris. My husband, who loves foie gras as much as I do, would tease me by asking me what I was going to eat.

I consistently answered, “Foie gras for a starter, followed by foie gras and for dessert, I think, foie gras.”

When the night arrived, we were seated at a lovely table. I opened the menu and there in front of me was a description of five courses of foie gras, four of which were not on the normal menu and where specially prepared by Chef English for us.

I could not believe it. My husband had secretly plotted with the Iris staff to compose this special meal with wine pairings. I amazed by how much thought and imagination went into this menu. It was truly an unbelievable gift.

Each course was phenomenal. The first course was foie gras stuffed zucchini blossom tempura with greek yogurt and sambal.

The second course was a seared foie gras with a blueberry gellee and shallot confit. (the one on the menu.)

The third course was a roasted Neola farm marrow bones with foie gras, a salsa and delicious brioche.

The fourth course was a roasted lobe of foie gras with leek fondue and cherry.

And for dessert? Of course, we were presented with the not-so-ubiquitous foie gras milkshake with pb&j sandwiches. Well, anyone who knows Iris, knows this was no ordinary pb&j. It was definitely elevated to full gastronomic glory.

This was truly the best meal of my life and it was made even more special by the hospitality of the Iris staff and Chef Kelly.

I am very motivated to stay married another five years. And my husband is reveling in having earned an entire season of “football points.”

Thank you to everyone at Iris for this special anniversary gift.

Chris // Memphis, TN

I just wanted to commend the entire team at Iris for a truly great dining experience. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a wonderful date last night and I must say that the food and service were both outstanding, but the hospitality was truly above all…amazing. So many restaurants don’t have the “complete package” of great quality food, great service, AND hospitality and Iris excelled in all three. I don’t remember the last time our expectations as guests in a restaurant were not just met… but exceeded. We had the knuckle sandwich and raviolo and for our entrees, we had the scallops and the “surf and turf.” Our server Kelly, as well as the entire service staff, was knowledgable, friendly, and genuinely hospitable. This was personally my 2nd time dining at Iris and my girlfriend’s 1st, but we both agreed it was the best restaurant we’ve dined at in Memphis. As Chef English, I am also a graduate of the CIA and a local restaurant manager here in Memphis. I just wanted to write to you all to thank you for the incredible dining experience because so often, we don’t hear the positive feedback that keeps us driven and motivated in such a demanding industry. The food and service were both incredible, but the hospitality was truly the “wow” factor. Thank you and we will most certainly dine with you all again soon!

One evening, my dining partner and I dined at Iris for the second time. Our waitress, Sarah, recognized us, remembered the wine we had liked on our previous visit, and welcomed us warmly. It was the most seamless, flawless service I have ever experienced…. the little things matter… cutlery replaced, wineglasses refilled exactly on time, the right amount of “cheerful chatter” without being intrusive—incredible attention to detail and promptness. We were also impressed by the manner in which the entire wait staff automatically “covered each other’s back” . When Sarah was understandably engaged at another table, someone else appeared to pour wine with no prompting from us…. with the same grace and poise. Just wanted you to know that—not only will WE return—we’ll bring others with us. And, better still, any person within the sound of my voice will know my opinion of the best restaurant in Memphis. Oops!… I neglected to add that we left not one teaspoon of food on any plate during any course! And thanks, Sarah, for being gracious (not condescending, as one experiences at some fine restaurants) about splitting the salad. I was saving room for that Brandy Alexander, which I had been anticipating all day.

One of the nicest places I have been to in Memphis! The food was exceptional, the place was cozy, and the waitstaff was knowledgeable and friendly. I was impressed by how fresh everything tasted. Perfect place for a date. Be sure to make a reservation because the place fills up fast!

This restaurant has restored my faith in Memphis dining. Having been in business for over a year, it is quite refreshing to see that the high quality of service and food has been maintained since opening (sadly, something that is rarely accomplished in the Memphis dining scene).

So about my experience: I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday this past Saturday night and could not have been more pleased. The service, food, presentation and ambiance were all top notch. The chef was a class act– on a Saturday night, with every table in his restaurant filled, he stopped by each one to introduce himself and thank the diners for coming in. The food was absolutely AMAZING. My boyfriend and I admittedly gorged ourselves, but our favorites were the terrific raviolo, veal schnitzel and short rib. Don’t even get me started on dessert– in a word, phenomenal. I’m still dreaming about the bread pudding and malt. Also, there is a terrific wine list. I recommend the Belle Glos pinot, YUM.

And, when we couldn’t finish everything on our plates and decided to take our leftovers to go, they came wrapped up with adorable ribbons. So cute in fact, that I plan to reuse for future gifts… shhh, don’t tell.

Be sure to book a reservation… you will definitely be happy you did!

I would highly recommend Restaurant Iris. Chef Kelly and his staff are second to none! The cuisine was original and pleasing to the palate, the staff was gracious and attentive and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I look forward to our next visit to Restaurant Iris. It was a memorable and enjoyable experience.

Kelly English hands down at Restaurant Iris! It’s not every day a chef wins one of the top 10 new chefs in the country in “Food and Wine.”

I am the bank analyst for Morgan Keegan out of the NY office. I just wanted you to know what a delightful and just spectacular taste sensation it was and I will be back to Iris every time I come to Memphis from now on.

I haven’t stopped raving to my colleagues about what a wonderful meal it was. Service was superb, knowledgeable and fun and the food was delectable, mouthwatering, scrumptious..absolutely gratifying and fit for a king.

I get the opportunity to eat in many top ranked establishments in the city and across the country but Iris….was truly and enjoyable experience and ranks at the top of my reference list now.

Many thanks for such an incredible meal last night. The culinary experience escalated with each bite of each course. True brilliance in both flavors and creative presentation. The boudin bon bons were the ultimate lagniappe.Thank you again for being in Memphis!

I celebrated my birthday at your restaurant and I wanted to say Thank You for the extra and special treatment you afforded me. From the decorated table and menu to the beautiful rose on the table. I think you went above and beyond!!

I dined with you guys last night and it was amazing. The service was impeccable, the ambiance was perfect and the food was amazing. As you would expect from a chef, I’m hard to please but last night was wonderful. I was with a local news anchor as well and she couldn’t have been more pleased. I have now found my new favorite restaurant in Memphis. Give Chef my regards, it was spectacular.

This is the best restaurant in Memphis by a mile! Every dish is inventive and inspired without being too precious. The “Surf and Turf” that was featured on the Food Network is a dish that eveyone must try before they die. The service is great and the ambiance is perfect. There is really no room for improvement.

Restaurant Iris is in my top 3 Memphis restaurants- there’s nothing that this place does wrong.

First of all, it’s in a cute little house near Overton Square. The place has charm, no doubt. A cozy fireplace and warm, rich decor make me want to move in, not just eat here. But that would be a perk for sure.

The rack of lamb is mouthwatering, and the Kobe short ribs are excellent. I also love the shrimp and grits. There’s an impressive wine list that includes my fave, Joseph Phelps. They have Silver Oak too which might be my 2nd fave.

Restaurant Iris is an impressive spot for a date or a special occasion. I can’t wait to go back again.

When I want to impress a visitor I ALWAYS go to Restaurant Iris. I am never let down by Chef Kelly English’s amazing-locally grown- food!

One of the top five meals I’ve ever eaten, and with just the right amount of Southern charm and local ingredients. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

There is one Restaurant in Memphis that I feel stands out from all the others. My brother gave us an evening out for our anniversary to Restaurant Iris. From the time we stepped on the sidewalk our experience was amazing! We were greeted on the front porch by the staff and welcomed. We were quickly shown to our table and then the show really began! Chef Kelly English came to our table and welcomed us and told us Happy Anniversary and wished us many more! Then our menus arrived with a special letter from the Chef and Staff! The Waiter was just as gracious and introduced himself and was very open to any request that we had. He offered many suggestions and was the best I have ever had. His name was Jeff! The food was absolutely wonderful from the beginning to the very end! I know anyone who visits the wonderfully planned and organized restaurant will be very pleased and spoiled just as we were! We have plans of returning very soon! Thanks to everyone who made our visit and dinner so exceptional.

I wanted to thank you for the wonderful experience I had at your restaurant. I can say with sincerity that it was the best meal I have had in six years, which is when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I am never given options when dining out and certainly never receive the attention you and your staff provided to me during my visit. The food was superb and the service was amazing.

Thank you for making such an amazing gluten free meal for me. I can recommend your restaurant without hesitation to any of the Celiac Foundations and will gladly pass the word along on my end. Many thanks.

This restaurant is located in a charming, formerly private house, tastefully decorated. The number of tables is appropriate, making it quite quiet, as restaurants go, but even on a Wednesday night it was full, giving it a pleasant, lively atmosphere. We dined in a party of 5 over a 2-1/2 hour period and found the service to be perfect, attentive but discrete, and we never felt rushed. The wine list was very good and was reasonably priced, about a 100% markup over San Francisco retail. We had 2 appetizers, the oysters cooked 3 ways and the Nachitoches meat pies. The oysters were unbelieveably good, light, intensely and uniquely flavored, cooked perfectly–that dish alone was like 3 great appetizers. The little meat pies were also wonderful, somewhat spicy, smoky, and aromatic; the only disappointment was a Ranch dressing like sauce for them, which was fortunately served on the side, so one could skip it. One of us had a third appetizer for a main course, the giant raviolo (singular of ravioli) filled with mildly spicy barbequed baby back ribs style meat and a rich sauce–also heavenly. Any of these appetizers was enough food for a main dish at many restaurants. I tasted 3 of the 4 main courses, a redfish with small vegetables, a shrimp and sausage over grits, and an amberjack in sweet aromatic harissa sauce. All were unique, wonderful, the fish perfectly fresh and perfectly cooked, and beautifully balanced between richness and aroma; each was the best among similar dishes in my memory. The sorbet and bread pudding deserts were also excellent; the bread pudding with toasted almonds was as good as any I have ever tasted. Overall, the dishes seemed to take New Orleans-style food in a new and interesting direction, with lots of smoky flavor derived from some heavily smoked bacon and flavors from herbs like allspice and various highly flavored peppers. Nothing was even close to burnout hot; the direction of the spices was almost Middle Eastern, a mix of sweet, aromatic, and peppery. The cost of the meal for 5 (3 appetizers, 4 main dishes, 2 deserts, 1 bottle of wine) including wine was only $210 before tip, and everyone had more than enough to eat. Two of us know many of the best restaurants in San Francisco and New Orleans, and Iris is the only Memphis resatuarant we know that we are confident would be a success in either of these foodie-friendly cities. The young chef clearly deserves the 2009 Food and Wine “rising chef” award.