Back to Memphis
River Oaks Restaurant - Steakhouse in Memphis, Tennessee

River Oaks Restaurant

4.5 (381 reviews)

5871 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38119

French restaurant
New American restaurant
Restaurant

About River Oaks Restaurant - steak house in Memphis, Tennessee

Sophisticated eatery featuring elevated French & American dishes, wine pairings & a patio.

Customer Review Summary

Excellent food artfully presented, particularly the beef filet and salmon. The cauliflower risotto and house-made tomato bisque with grilled cheese were highlights. Service was very good, and the meal was deemed excellent by experienced travelers. Lunch offerings varied; the baked fish was delicious, while the "TV dinner" was just okay. A cozy atmosphere with well-made drinks complemented a good dining experience, although desserts were slightly disappointing. Enjoyed the French 75 and TV dinner, with others at the table satisfied with their French dip and pastrami sandwiches. The service was impeccable, and the appetizers and desserts were standout dishes, despite one entrée lacking flavor. A visit was confusing due to long wait times and missed orders, but some dishes impressed, while others did not meet expectations. Overall, the restaurant receives high praise for food and atmosphere, with some inconsistencies in specific dishes. A last-minute reservation for four resulted in a delightful experience, with 5-star quality food and presentation.

Key Features

Service options

  • Curbside pickup
  • Dine-in

Highlights

  • Great cocktails
  • Great coffee
  • Great dessert
  • Great tea selection
  • Great wine list

Popular for

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Solo dining

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Coffee
  • Hard liquor
  • Small plates
  • Wine

Dining options

  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Seating

Amenities

  • Bar onsite
  • Restroom
  • Wi-Fi

Atmosphere

  • Cozy
  • Romantic
  • Trendy
  • Upscale

Crowd

  • Groups
  • Tourists

Planning

  • Dinner reservations recommended
  • Accepts reservations

Payments

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • NFC mobile payments

Children

  • High chairs

Parking

  • Free parking lot
  • Free street parking

Pets

  • Dogs allowed outside

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

4.5 out of 5
5
281
4
51
3
26
2
8
1
15
Based on 381 reviews

TheMcGrews

3 months ago

Excellent food, presented artfully. We REALLY enjoyed our dinner. I had a beef filet and my wife had salmon. Her fish was served on a bed of “cauliflower risotto” which was a tasty cauliflower diced as a risotto… fantastic. My beef was a quality cut over mashed potatoes and excellent gravy with a small bit of ratatouille on top… SO GOOD. My house salad was simple with the house dressing and my wife’s tomato bisque has great flavor and was accompanied by a small Gruyère grilled cheese sandwich. Desert was an artistic apple crumble with vanilla ice cream in the shape of a rose. We are VERY strong world travelers and found this meal to be excellent. Service was very very good.

Earl Small

5 months ago

I stopped by for lunch with family. It was in an excellent location and ambiance, and I enjoyed the iced tea and dessert. I had the "TV dinner" plate. It was just ok. However, the baked fish with veggies was delicious.

Cayla Madaris

1 year ago

Great experience! The service was good and the atmosphere was cozy and relaxed. The drinks were well made. We loved both cheese appetizers, beet salad and all of our entrees. The lamb was especially good. Both desserts were a little of a miss (just comparing to the rest of the phenomenal dinner) but they both got eaten for sure. The chocolate fondant cake was a little dry and the pastry on the apple dish was tough to chew. All of the plating was beautiful, maybe the best I've seen in town. Plenty of parking. Overall definitely do recommend.

Jack Medlin

1 year ago

Nice atmosphere and great service. I had a good French 75, people at my table ordered mojitos and had to ask for simple syrup. TV dinner was great, but it’s different day to day. Other than that, other people at table ordered French dip and the pastrami sandwiches, liked them! Great restaurant overall!

C Rogers

The service was impeccable and our group of 7 wanted for nothing. The atmosphere was really great as well. We had appetizers, entrées, and dessert. The appetizers and entrées were unbelievable! We had the baked brie and charcuterie board for appetizers. I couldn’t have enough of the brie! Likewise, the desserts were absolutely delicious. The crème brûlées and the apple purses were out of this world. My colleagues enjoyed their entrées very much. However, I ordered the fried chicken special of the night and while the chicken was perfectly cooked and still moist, it had absolutely no flavor such that I could only have a few bites and left the rest. The mashed potatoes likewise had no flavor so I didn’t have much of those. The green beans were delicious with some salt I added and were the only part of my entrée that I ate and finished. (Chef Ramsey would’ve yelled at the cook and asked him where the salt was.). At least that left room for the great desserts. Oh, and they never comped my meal, even though the server could see I hardly ate any of it. There’s enough parking.

Patrick B

2 years ago

The staff was extremely friendly, but we had a confusing visit. They sat us at a table and said they had a the table reserved for 2 hours after we sat down. We didn't think it would be an issue, but it did end up taking an hour and a half for the food to come out. Then when they did bring the food out they had forgotten the petite salad for my young niece. Not a huge deal, but the shrimp was really bad. Bad enough that I would recommend patrons avoid the shrimp. The shrimp was dry and chewy and smelled spoiled. So from my perspective, these very friendly people didn't get the child's salad first, Even though they had served two salads, and the salad they did serve to the child was less than appetizing. Some of the dishes were home runs. The salmon was delicious, the watermelon salad was a treat, but it almost seems like a gamble of what is good. I can't in good conscious recommend this place. It's a shame because the staff was so nice. For the prices here, the risk is not worth.

Kaitlyn Brown

5 stars all around. My food was amazing. Chef was super inviting and friendly the atmosphere was so perfect for the occasion. My family will definitely be back.

Leslie Skelton

1 year ago

Exceptional experience at River Oaks Restaurant! Secured a last-minute reservation for a party of 4 at a bar table. From appetizers to entrees and desserts, every dish was not only delicious but also presented with exquisite artistry. A delightful culinary journey that deserves a solid 5 stars!

Location

Contact Information

Hours of Operation

Friday 11 AM–9 PM
Monday Closed
Saturday 5–10 PM
Sunday Closed
Thursday 11 AM–9 PM
Tuesday 11 AM–9 PM
Wednesday 11 AM–9 PM

Price Range

$50–100