The Lobbyist: Innovative Memphis Dining with Creative Plates & Local Flavors

Beautiful interior, and a journey for the palette. The staff were insightful and engaging. Each dish was carefully explained. The tomahawk to share was a feast to behold! That meat definitely has five stars. It is worth it! The reason for the other four stars was because it was not fine dining to the highest caliber; but who cares! Charming and innovative food, it was a wonderful meal. We will definitely return and it was a joy to visit here.

Omg!! I danced in my seat for the whole experience! My big sis and I enjoyed EVERY bit of food. It was all absolutely delicious!! The dranks were absolutely right!! Thank you!! Major shout outs to: Kacie - Most Bestest Server and Asst Manager Amazing Chef - Jess Lambert Amazing Pastry - Amber Amazing Pantry - John Amazing Saute - TC(Oxtail) Amazing Grill - Parker (Pork Belly, Fish) Amazing Exec Chef - Jimmy Gentry

We did the chefs table experience and it was a wonderful experience. Everyone was nice and knowledgeable about things. The dishes I had, I didn’t know existed. I’m more of a meat eater, so if that’s what you’re looking for in a chefs table this isn’t for you. Mostly vegetable dishes with one main course of beef cheek that was delicious. We were still full when we left after having 6 small courses. It was delicious. If you aren’t adventurous as far as taste goes, I wouldn’t recommend, but if you want to have a unique experience and have an exploratory palate then this is for you. Also, the actual chef of the restaurant did not conduct the chefs table. I’m not sure if some may expect that, but the chef that was on duty did a great job, he was a little quiet, but overall knowledgeable about the dishes and prepared them to look exactly like the photos. We would definitely do it again. Lobbyist is a win! Another great restaurant in Memphis!

We stumbled into this spot on a Saturday evening—no reservations, no plan—just a spontaneous dinner idea. Despite it being the weekend, we were seated right away. The place was buzzing but not overflowing, which was a pleasant surprise. Now, parking was a bit of a pain. It’s in the downtown area, and between the street closures and a few events going on, we ended up paying a ridiculous amount for a nearby lot. Something to keep in mind if you’re planning a visit. The menu had a fun, modern fusion vibe. We kicked things off with the focaccia shareable platter. The bread itself was great—light, fluffy, topped with flaky sea salt—but the rest of the platter felt a little underwhelming for the price. Think a few veggies and dips, nothing too exciting. We also tried a non-alcoholic cocktail with mint and watermelon—super refreshing and surprisingly well-balanced. Definitely a highlight. For mains, my friend went with the chopped steak and mashed potatoes—cooked perfectly medium rare with a beautiful char. Solid choice. I ordered a pasta dish with braised beef that had a curry-style seasoning twist. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the dish had an interesting concept, but it didn’t completely land for me. It felt like it was almost great—just missing that final spark. We skipped dessert (too full!), but the vibe of the place was relaxed and lively, kind of laid-back chic. Service was friendly but on the slower side. All in all, a decent experience with a few standout moments—but probably not one I’d rave about. Still, if you’re in the area and in the mood for something a bit different, it might be worth a try, but overpriced IMO.

This was the "splurge" of our trip and we had a great meal. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly. The NYT didn't lie about the deliciousness of the corn mash. We tried several other small and shareable creative plates that are ever-changing based on local availability. Highlights: the curry cauliflower and miso mussels. Good, but could not at the level of the other dishes: broccolini caesar - it could have done with one more element. Great idea, but missed it for 4 out of 5 of us: wheat pasta and pozole. We mentioned it to our waitress and were visited by a manager for more feedback, which felt both nerve wrecking and also appreciated that they were looking for honest opinions. (I woke up later that night wondering if it was the wheat that wasn't right. Maybe try a rice noodle? Could one make pasta from corn masa?) For our entree, we shared their Teres Major - which was a beautiful piece of locally raised grass fed beef, cooked to perfection. I recommend to people who are love to experiment with flavors and mixing of cuisines!

Amazingly good food and very filling portions, with service to match. We had the corn mash, corn ribs, yams, charred okra, brussels, broccolini, and teres major. The steak was solid but paled in comparison to the vegetable dishes, which completely recalibrated my feelings on how vegetables can taste. Our server Melissa made excellent menu and cocktail recommendations. We will definitely be back!

Service was impeccable... I give the Lobbyist my top rating... rated real high ,the award winning restaurant...lived up to its rep... the food was excellent the mussels over the top...atmosphere was great... met some people that were from Lori's hometown .. loved everything about it .... my #1 downtown Memphis pick.... five Located on south main... block from the orpheum

Went here on an extremely cold December evening. We were seated in the cozy patio and our server went through the menu with us with great detail given our dietary preferences. The vegetable section of the menu was incredible, every dish was better than the other although the golden beets were my favorite. For our entree we had the fennel seed bucatini, and simply put, one of the best dishes I’ve had all year.