Dinner, drinks and dunks: A Downtown dining guide for Grizzlies games
The Ghost River taproom on Beale Street features an outdoor beer garden. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
There’s something electric about being Downtown for a Memphis Grizzlies game these days.
The Memphis area has been rooting for the Grizz for more than 20 years, but between the team topping the Western Conference standings and Ja Morant about to become the next Nike athlete to get his own signature sneaker, one can almost feel the energy coursing around the team — and the FedExForum.
As fans head Downtown this holiday season (and beyond) for games on Tuesday, Dec. 27 (against the Phoenix Suns), Saturday, Dec. 31 (against the New Orleans Pelicans) and Sunday, Jan. 1 (against the Sacramento Kings), they can also enjoy the area’s many restaurants, bars and pubs.
Below is a select guide to Downtown dining and drinking options, sorted based on taste and lifestyle, for before or after Grizzlies games at the FedExForum. But, don’t worry, this list works just as well if the University of Memphis Tigers or if artists like Lizzo or Janet Jackson are playing at the arena, too.
For when Beale is the place you wanna be: New Wing Order and Ghost River Brewery
Jesse McDonald tosses a batch of hot wings at New Wing Order's brick and mortar location in Ghost River Brewing's Beale Street tap room June 4, 2022. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
What is it? A brewery, restaurant and beer garden
What does it offer? House-brewed beers, wings and more on their restaurant menu
What makes it great for fans? All kinds of game day specials, and the brewery is located directly beside the FedExForum
Ghost River Brewing Co., located on Beale Street, certainly hasn’t missed its shot when it comes to local food and brews in a convenient location.
“The Forum is basically our backyard,” said part owner Tori Keskey.
The brewery’s outdoor beer garden is one of the ways they keep things extra fun on game days.
“Having that beer garden experience makes it a little bit more family-friendly,” Keskey said. “I think that makes it definitely an ideal spot for all ages. And especially with the kitchen being so accessible.”
Ghost River has partnered with New Wing Order at the location. New Wing Order makes — you guessed it — wings. But Keskey said it also serve a variety of appetizers and a few vegan/vegetarian options.
Plus, the brewery offers special Grizzlies events such as pre-game chats with Grizzlies radio play-by-play announcer Eric Hasseltine and live podcast recordings with Ja Morant’s father and uncle, respectively, Tee and Phil Morant.
341 Beale St. Open on Mondays only for Grizzlies games and special events; Tuesdays, 4 -10 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 -11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 12 p.m.-12 a.m., and Sundays, noon-10 p.m. For more info, call (901) 538-8333.
For a place where the whole fam will be happy to hang: Huey’s
What is it? A burger joint with all the classics
What does it offer? Wide variety of burgers, sides and drinks
What makes it great for fans? Plenty of Memphis vibes
If you’ve been in Memphis or the surrounding area for any amount of time, the chances are good that you’ve been to a Huey’s. This 50-year-old Memphis-born chain has nine restaurants in the Mid-South and counting, and it’s considered a classic for a reason.
The Downtown location is close to the Forum and has a frenzy of hand-drawn Grizzlies and pictures of other Memphis sports gracing the windows.
One of the things they love most about the Downtown restaurant, said Samantha Boggs Dean, marketing and special projects director for Huey’s Restaurants, is the “unique and funky atmosphere that draws in a wide range of guests – from families dining after church on Sundays, to friends watching a game at the bar.”
Food-wise, its known for satisfying spins on classic burgers, fries, and snackable appetizers. There is something on the menu to please every palate, including vegans and vegetarians.
77 S. Second St., open 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays; and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more info, call (901) 527-2700.
For late-night revelers (who aren’t feeling Beale): Bardog Tavern
What is it? A tavern serving drinks and food late into the night
What does it offer? Bar drinks and pub grub
What makes it great for fans? Open late but also low-key
A lot of the places highlighted on this list are perfect for a pre-game snack or sip, but depending on game time, many will be closed after the final buzzer. Not so with Bardog.
This late-night joint really gets going after 10 p.m. and fills up fast on Grizz game nights.
Bardog’s more low-key location on Monroe Avenue offers a chill alternative to Beale Street. Bar and booth seating is available both upstairs and downstairs, and the downstairs “underdog” space is non-smoking.
The menu includes sandwiches, salads, snacks and steaks. Or a little bit of everything.
And that’s part of what Memphis Grizzlies fan Grace Shappley loves about the neighborhood tavern.
“You won’t go wrong ordering anything on the menu,” Shappley said, “but I definitely recommend the hotdog, the best in Memphis!”
And the kitchen stays open until 1 a.m.
73 Monroe Ave., open 8 a.m.-3 a.m. all week, and 11 a.m.-3 a.m. on the weekends. For more info, call (901) 275-8752.
For an upscale dinner date: Central Station Hotel’s Bishop and Eight & Sand bar
Bishop’s mussels and frites (left) and tarte flambé (right) served during its soft opening in the Central Station lobby Dec. 4, 2019. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
What is it? A fine-dining restaurant and cocktail bar
What does it offer? A menu that’s part French brasserie and part Southern flair
What makes it great for fans? You can enjoy a romantic dinner before finding yourself on the “Kiss Cam.”
There is no wrong way to enjoy game day, but there is a right way to do a Grizzlies date night.
One of the snazziest options is to get dolled up and grab dinner and drinks at Bishop and Eight & Sand at the Central Station Hotel before heading over to the FedExForum.
Located on South Main Street, Bishop is a French restaurant that offers an elevated menu of delectable fare. Cheese boards, seafood (including escargot), and an entire menu of French-prepared potatoes accompany the small and large plate selections. (Vegetarians, call ahead to have the chef craft something special just for you.)
Eight & Sand is the restaurant’s adjoining bar, serving creative cocktails of all kinds.
According to Grizzlies fan Katie Shelton, “The service is impeccable; the space is extremely beautiful; and the food and drinks are uniquely delicious. It definitely feels like stepping outside of day-to-day life.”
545 South Main St. Bishop is open for breakfast and lunch every day from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. and for dinner 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and through 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Eight & Sand is open 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call (901) 896-0228.
For when the crew is craving pizza and beer: Wiseacre and Little Bettie
Patrons browse the menu at the soft opening of Little Bettie inside Wiseacre Brewing Downtown location Dec. 17, 2020. (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian)
What is it? A brewery
What does it offer? House-brewed beers, pizzas, salads, and sides
What makes it great for fans? There’s plenty of room for your whole party — and then some.
Most people know of Wiseacre Brewing Co., and for good reason. The local brewery made a splash regionally and beyond with their wide, award-winning selection of beer. Their first location opened on Broad Avenue in 2013 and their second, located Downtown and fairly close to the FedExForum, opened in 2020.
The Downtown addition is a huge bonus for local basketball fans, and so is the addition of Little Bettie, the in-house pizza and snack shop.
And with the large amount of outdoor and indoor seating available at Wiseacre Downtown, you can bring your entire crew along.
Kellan Bartosch, the company’s CEO and director of sales and marketing, said they’ve made ordering easier for Grizzlies fans by offering Little Bettie pizza by the slice, instead of full pizza orders, on game days.
“Most restaurants can’t immediately seat 50 people, but because of the way we’re set up, that’s just what happens sometimes,” Bartosch said. “So our slice menu allows us to crank out food in just a few minutes, and you get a very big slice of pizza. It’s essentially a quarter of a pizza.”
Bartosch said that the brewery also tries to bring in live music before some of the weekend games.
398 South B. B. King Blvd., open 1-9 p.m., Mondays through Wednesdays; 1-10 p.m., Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fridays. For more info, call (901) 334-9411
For barbecue and the Blues, because, well, it’s Memphis: Blues City Cafe
What is it? A Memphis barbecue joint and blues club
What does it offer? Tamales, several types of smothered fries and ribs
What makes it great for fans? Get a quick — and Memphis-centric — bite on Beale
You didn’t think we’d leave out barbecue, did you? The only challenge is choosing just one. Blues City Cafe fits the bill with its variety of tempting offers for Grizzlies fans who are hoping to snag some ribs before the game.
Situated in what you might call the top spot on Beale Street, Blues City is celebrating 30 years on Beale Street and has seen everyone from former President Bill Clinton to chef Bobby Flay and Bon Appetit magazine come through.
It’s also knows how to get people in and out.
Assistant general manager Grant Ricossa said the staff at Blues City is accustomed to heavy tourist and local traffic, and it rarely takes more than an hour for guests to enjoy a full dinner.
Aside the famous ribs, people can order the restaurant’s signature fried catfish, seafood gumbo and hand-cut steaks.
“One thing about Memphians is being loyal to their ‘spots.’ I’ve talked to a couple of folks who have been coming to Blues City Cafe before Grizzlies games five to 10 times a year, every year, since the Grizzlies moved to FedExForum,” Ricossa said.
138 Beale St., open from 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m.-3 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays. For more info, call (901) 526-3637.
For when you want noodles and dumplings (and maybe some luck): Good Fortune Company
A Cai Jia Noodle dish served with a Mum's the Word drink at Good Fortune Co. on South Main Street Feb. 23, 2022. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
What is it? An Asian-fusion restaurant and bar
What does it offer? Handmade noodles and dumplings, plus creative cocktails and mocktails
What makes it great for fans? It’s Asian fusion as an art form
Memphis is a soul food, barbecue and wings kind of city, and for good reason. But Memphians aren’t only good at making Southern food — just ask Sarah Cai at Good Fortune.
After being born in Memphis, raised in China and spending much of her life traveling the world, Cai and her partner Arturo Leighton have made Asian fusion into an art form.
With handmade noodles, dumplings and slow-cooked broths, the food at Good Fortune is deeply flavorful. The duo’s noodle soups are based on traditional cuisines from across Southeast Asia, and the always-rotating flavor of their homemade taiyaki (a Japanese fish-shaped waffle cone) ice cream is worth a monthly visit all on its own.
Since most games start right around peak restaurant time, Cai said that Grizzlies fans can often sneak in early and get a delicious, full dinner fairly quickly.
And don’t forget about the drinks. Good Fortune serves up creative cocktails often mixed with Asian-inspired ingredients such as lemongrass, lychee, matcha and more.
Overall, Cai said, doing something a little different has worked for the restaurant.
“We get feedback from guests that they really enjoy the food and it’s nice to have something that’s different,” she said. “They can get a break from all the barbecue and wings and other things that Memphis does so well. Just to offer a little diversity for people’s palates.”
361 S. Main St., open 4-10 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays. For more info, (901) 590-3510.
For when you want to play your own game: Longshot
What is it? A restaurant, bar and shuffleboard venue
What does it offer? Globally inspired gastro pub with gameday specials
What makes it great for fans? Late hours and friendly competition
Out of all the bars in all the world, you’ve likely never been to one quite like Longshot. This shuffleboard-themed bar has ongoing games available all night and is the perfect place to burn off some competitive energy.
“We’re very Grizzlies-focused,” said Will Davenport, the food and beverage manager for the Arrive Memphis Hotel. “We have personalized memorabilia posted around the bar space. NBA basketball season is definitely a time of year that we look forward to in Longshot.”
And the plan is to make the bar even more Grizz-themed come the new year, with $12 food and drink specials on Grizzlies’ game nights as a special nod to No. 12 himself, Ja Morant.
The bar also does happy hours from 5-7 p.m. during the week and 3-7 p.m. on the weekends.
477 South Main St. Open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5-11 p.m.; Fridays, 5 p.m.-midnight; Saturdays noon to midnight; and Sundays noon - 11 p.m. For more info, call (901) 701-7494 or click here.
Topics
FedExForum Downtown Memphis Memphis GrizzliesJordan Arellano
Jordan Arellano is a freelance journalist for The Daily Memphian writing about art, culture, food, and travel. Find her at Overton Bark with her three dogs or scouting out the best vegetarian food in town.
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