Itta Bena

No words to describe our experience. Well, maybe I can find some. Located above BB King's, you pass under a blue awning then up a set stairs at the side of the BBK's. Not labeled so seems sketchy, but it really is not. Kind of IYKYK. Have to shout out to Jocelyn. Our server was superb. On spot with every recommendation and made sure we had a great experience beyond just enjoyment of the food. Nice place, quiet enough for conversation but also with some live easy listening music which was welcomed. Dress ranged from under to over dressed. I would suggest look nice; slacks and a presentable shirt or sweater, maybe a jacket. Not pretentious but the ambience deserves a respectable clientele. Hand crafted cocktails were really good. Flavorful and not overpowering. Had the Beale Street Bourbon Punch and the Delta Queen and the Blue Window. BSBP was the best but all were excellent and refreshing. Lamb popsicles and crab stuffed shrimp apps. WOW. I have had lamb literally all over the world (Iceland, for example, where it is crazy good) and this was the best I have ever eaten. Perfectly cooked, moist, flavorful. The shrimp had excellent flavor also. Soup of the day was a shrimp and corn chowder that was super. Again, great taste. All of these are "must orders".Dinners were super also. 2 orders of the fish special, a blackened red snapper on a bed of grits with asparagus on the side. Best snapper EVER! Just the perfect mix of flavors in total and perfectly cooked. Braised short rib was rich but had excellent Merlot sauce flavor, 3 large pieces of meat pulled apart and was paired with excellent mashed potatoes. Jumbo shrimp and grits again excellent. Lots of places do a version of shrimp and grits, and no one has done it better for us. And we lived in Louisiana for 10 years. Too much food but we had to try desert. Had the peach cobbler and a brownie. Both really good. Brownie was topped with ice cream, had a warm and soft center and was our favorite. One of the best meals we have ever eaten. Great experience overall also. Book a reservation and enjoy the experience. Just do it. Guess I found my words.

Difficult to find address on Beale but entrance on secondLots of stairsLoud but live musicAbove bb kingsFood great but $$$ be prepared

Crowded, for a good reason.We had no reservation, so we ate at the bar. It's a small bar, lots of activity, lots of hands in the bar, doing different things, it was like having great seats at a ballet that knew how to move around each other. We even got to talk to the bartender, mid cocktail shaking. Before I get too far, the cocktails were great.We weren't the only people eating at the bar. Single people in town on business, other tourists in groups of two, and us. Just finding the place was half the battle. It had been referred to us by people who frequented Beale Street. You go up this forbidden stairwell, use the secret handshake and your in. My wife's correcting me, there was no secret handshake, but it sure seemed like there should've been.Our spot at the bar was right next to the two-piece band that was entertaining. There was a guitarist and a piano player, and it positively impacted the ambience of the establishment. This review is being written a month after our visit, and I can't remember the specifics of what we ate. We shared a very tasty blue cheese, wedge salad, and a special Cajun shrimp dish.I was not feeling blue while eating at this restaurant, I'll be back.

This place is very, very good and always a great option for dinner before going to the Orpheum across the street. The entrance is not marked at all, so be on the lookout. It's a little blue awning with a set of stairs, on the side of the B.B. King club. Go up the stairs and to the left and voila! You're there. The service is amazing and everyone is very accommodating. This most recent time, we got the crab dip as an appetizer and the host offered to bring out extra bread when he noticed we still had some dip left over. My favorite thing on the menu is the goat cheese stuffed chicken. I've tried to recreate it at home and I just can't do it justice. It's a must-try!

Amazing experience! Here are some things to keep in mind:It's downtown on Beale Street above BB King Restaurant. The entrance is on the side of the building up some stairs. Be mindful of your shoe choice especially if you struggle in heels. I didn't notice an elevator so if stairs aren't comfortable ot you're physically unable pick a different place. There's no onsite parking so you have to pay to park. Be mindful during events downtown fees increase so plan accordingly. They have a piano and live music as well. One of our guests didn't enjoy the extra "noise". Now with that out of the way this is a must try! I've been wanting to check them out but the location was always sketchy to me. Don't allow that to stop you. It's such an elegant establishment. Service is top notch. The menu is great and my party of 7 enjoyed their meal mostly. I had the stuff chicken. Definitely a keeper. My fingerling potatoes were not good at all, that's why the 4 stars. But the chicken was perfection and I didn't think I would enjoy the spinach as much as I did. I was able to sample the braised short ribs my sister had. I'm going back for that. Awesome flavor. She said her potatoes were runny, but the side of creamed spinach was an excellent choice. I sampled that too. My husband enjoyed his Cajun pasta. He raved about it. The lamb chops and sea bass were also a hit and the sweet potato casserole. We were out celebrating 3 birthdays so each guest had the opportunity to pick their dessert from the dessert menu and not just given the traditional birthday cupcake or whatever. Definitely a win. The peach cobbler received rave reviews and the crème brûlée was one of the best I've ever had. It's in my top 3! Overall it was an amazing dining experiences and we are going back for sure!

Had a couple very memorable meals with friends here. Food was exceptional and the staff attentive, professional, and friendly. Beautiful setting over looking Beale. (9kay, so maybe that's an oxymoron to some, but not me!)

We walked in to this place just after 6 pm because we thought it was an extension of the one below it and were surprised when we realized it was not. Seated at the bar because it was quicker than waiting for a table. There was live music coming from one of the corners but it was overshadowed by the live music coming from the eatery on the first floor. Crowded but not unexpectedly for the Memphis tourist area. Staffs' attitude indicated most of them were likely transplants to the Memphis area. There didn't seem to much of a positive synergy or rhythm amount the staff. They seemed to not know who was responsible for what functions. Normal menu selections with normal touristy Beale street area $$$$. The food was decent but nothing special. I had the Cajun pasta opted for one of the shrimp appetizers. Again, nothing special. Nothing is calling us to go back.

Hands down, some of the best food I've had this year, even though the year just started. Itta Bena, is located in Downtown Memphis on Beale Street (at the top of BB Kings) . They serve Southern American dishes. Ambiance, is both romantic and casual. They had live jazz playing the night we attended. We went for my husband 48th Birthday. Menu has several options to choose from Steaks, Chicken, Seafood, etc. We ordered the crab dip for starters, it was a great choice- cheesy and flavorful and I enjoyed it. Taste of the short rib was my husbands favorite, it has a red wine based gravy. And the mashed potatoes and asparagus was very tasty and perfectly prepared. I went for the Salmon, lightly seared and seasoned but the capers sauce top it off for me (ask for extra) it was my favorite. The green bean was just okay (not a fan) but the rice was very good. Plenty of people ordered the She Crab soup, I'll be back for that one. The Service was good too, just not everyone seems to be in a good spirit though, that's my reasoning for 4 star. Overall this place Impressed me. Recommendations for the cocktails, The Sidecar. Absolutely the best cocktail thus far...

First let me start that this place is not accessible for people with disabilities... only steps to enter the building. No elevator so beware. This was my first time here and it was a good experience. The place is very well decorated and even with it being late and almost closing time they still gave great service. We sat at the bar and Cameron was great. I told him to make me his best mocktail and he did just that. The crab stuffed shrimp was so good and flavorful definitely recommend as an appetizer. It is only 3 shrimps so beware lol. For the entree I got the braised short rib.. so good and tender! Very tasty and full of flavor. Cant wait to go back and try more.

The ambience of this restaurant is really cool. It is dimly lit, classy but a hint of a rustic feel to the decor. There are portraits of blues and jazz artists lining the walls, and there is a cool blue tint to the surrounding windows that adds a tint to the overall lighting. The table my party sat at was located under the AC unit and some condensation was dripping onto a couple of people. The manager apologized and offered to move us to another table, but we were close to finishing by the time he came over, so he offered to comp some of our entrees. The food was decent. I got the lamb sliders which were tasty and the Mac and cheese, which was just okay. I also ordered a key lime pie to go that tasted sweet and hardly like key lime at all (no tartness) but was good nonetheless. One thing that I'm not a fan of is that the only way to enter and exit is through the old carpeted stairs on the side of the building. I would go again, but it wasn't amazing enough for me to suggest.