My five stars are for the Wine Classes you can take at this fine establishment. One of my favorite things to do in Chattanooga. Limited seating, once a month. Different wine each month with meal included. Perfect location overlooking the Tennessee River. Fantastic staff.
(5)
Javier O.
It is Freezing cold in Chattanooga this morning. After driving 100 miles this morning at 4 am for a 1/2 hour meeting, I did not want to go back to my hotel right away. My gps guided me instead to the Back Inn Cafe. This quaint little inn was quit charming. Upon entering you are welcomed in the foyer. Off to the right, there is a sofa and several chairs with a fire place. To the left, another fireplace and dining tables. On this cold day, it's just what I needed. Breakfast by the fire place. Today's breakfast special was an omelet with spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese. I ordered a side of toast and sausage links. The Back Inn Cafe was one of Rachel Ray's recommendation and once again she did not disappoint. The food here is wonderful, high quality to be precise. My server was very attentive to my needs. The food and atmosphere would get an A+, service would also receive an A+
(5)
Barefoot B.
I go to this place every time I visit my family in Chattanooga. The dinning areas all overlook a garden-landscaped courtyard in the arts district of the city above the river. Aside from this, the brunch is ALWAYS "ON POINT"! BEST BLOODY MARY i've ever had. hand's down. Now I know that this is a bold statement, but I can say this with no hesitation. I make a pretty decent bloody mary and I've been on the quest for finding its rival ever since. If you ever visit this area, you must try this BM, you'll dream about it for years to come. here's another tip: If you're the BM type, you should ask them to "make it spicy" for you. It will completely kick you in the face and you'll love every minute of it.
(4)
Bethany W.
This place is completely not worth the money spent on food. We only stop there every once in a blue moon, and only for a glass of wine since it's really close to where we live and the restaurant does have a great view of the river. But the service is so sporadic, sometimes decent, sometimes absolutely terrible. Their menu has been so inconsistent, you'd think it'd changed ownership & chefs every year. I'd head downtown to Easy Bistro or St. John's Restaurant in a heart beat if I want to spend that much money on food and gratuity and a guaranteed enjoyable evening.
(1)
PJ P.
During my first visit here we walked in just to have a coffee but fell in love with the views from the sunroom so we stayed for dinner. We were lucky that there was an opening so suggest that you reserve for one of the window tables in advance. The service was very friendly and portions where very good. Curry chicken had excilent flavor and prepared perfectly. The seafood pasta was also full of shrimp, mussel and clams that they were in every bite. Dessert was hazelnut cheescake, very excelent. And yes, the coffe selection was also great. This is a very great place to bring that special someone and have a very romantic evening.
(5)
Zeke A.
Charming place with some great views of the river. We came for dessert, but then decided we had to get a couple of appetizers. My boyfriend and I are suckers for Caprese salad. It's so simple and so tasty. The presentation was lovely. We also ordered the fried green tomatoes which were dressed up a bit with a little shredded cheese and prosciutto. What a way to liven up such a classic southern specialty. Now on to the dessert. You must try the toffee bread pudding!!! With a scoop of ice cream....orgasmic...really! We were pigs and also tried the peanut butter pie. Very rich and decadent, which I loved. This dessert is only if you have a major sweet tooh (like me) otherwise it may be too much and one bite will suffice. The service was good. We were seated right away. Our waiter was super friendly. He was also knowledgeable about the menu, made us laugh, and just had that Southern finesse which I love. The only hiccup was that a little bug fell into my water glass...but that was replaced. Definitely worth a visit - go check it out!
(4)
Kelly M.
it was 'just okay'. the bread was cold (not room temp...COLD) and cold bean dip to eat with it. The waiter was nice and attentive and the food was okay otherwise. I was expecting So Much More.
(3)
Ryan H.
My wife and I went to Back Inn Cafe last night to use the Groupon I bought and was very displeased from the service we received. This was the last night the Groupon could be used, which yes was my fault for waiting until the last minute. However I think the restaurant knew it was the last night as well, like they didn't want us to eat there. We saw a few open tables with no one waiting. The hostess told us we couldn't sit at the bar. Just very confused why we were being treated like this. We were dressed nice. The hostess told us they had an reservation open for 8:30, it was 6:45 when we were there and honestly didn't not want to wait that long. It wasn't that busy! We live in Chattanooga, and I never plan on returning to eat at this restaurant.
(1)
Jamie F.
"Meh." That's the best way to describe my experience. We went there because Tony's Pasta Shop was packed. Well, to begin our evening, the hostess seemed annoyed that we didn't have reservations. When we were seated, we didn't see a server for ten minutes. When we were able to order, we went for The Volcano Roll appetizer. It was like fried balls of warm mushy rice. Sad. I got the seafood gratin, and my husband got the mussel linguine. Midway through our meal, the server came by and said, "Oh, I forgot to give you guys bread." And so we got our bread. Our cold, mushy, foul bread...yay. My entree was, like I said, "meh"...Over cooked fish drowning in sauce with some ravioli. My husband's linguine was equally blah. The service was the worst. No personality server, who seemed to forget us often, and let our glasses get empty and stay empty. I had better food and service at some of the smaller, less fancy places down town. I don't know if Back Inn Cafe is relying on location or what. Yes, it's pretty up on the bluff. The restaurant is pretty. The view is pretty. But, the food and service was sad. ESPECIALLY for the prices. Never again.
(1)
Leto Z.
Great food. Shrimp and grits. For dinner. Plus I tried my spouses fish of the day special which was a snapper. Both were made with so much southern flavor. Appetizer. Salmon cake was ok. The chilli was Nothing special.
(5)
Michele W.
My husband and I went to Back Inn Cafe on a Wednesday and they were having half price wine night. They have a beautiful patio overlooking the river and we sat outside. They also have sun rooms inside if you prefer to sit inside. We have eaten here before and rated the food as good but not spectacular. Tonight though, we really enjoyed our meal. I got the scallops with a corn pico de gallo. My husband got the vegetarian dish which was even better. Of course we had to get a bottle of wine since it was half price. Sitting outside, sipping on wine, and enjoying the superb atmosphere and fantastic food was a real treat. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert. We will have to go back for dessert because there were several items which looked delicious. They are next door to a bakery and use their fresh items. The only reason I didn't give them a five star is that the service was somewhat unorganized and slow. We didn't really care though because we had more time to enjoy the view.
(4)
Brian R.
I had the stuffed quail which was outstanding. Other guests had steaks and shrimp. All enjoyed their meals. I will warn you that service is going to seem slow because the eating area is upstairs on the third floor and the kitchen is on the first, so the wait staff is constantly going up and down stairs. Our waiter may have been new because while there were specials of the day, we were never told of them. We heard them from another table. I saw something being served and asked if it was the quail. He said yes. It wasn't. It may have been a lamb chop or pork chop, which I suspect was one of the daily specials. All in all the meal was good, service so so.
(4)
Deborah H.
Had the best food , best drinks and the best waiter. This place is a 5 star. The food was amazing and the service was awesome. Thanks for a great anniversary.
(5)
Susan R.
We had dinner at the Back Inn Cafe last evening and I have no complaints about it at all! Rance was our server and his timing was great; we lacked for nothing, but didn't feel rushed. That is a plus for me. Being a Wednesday night, there was not a lot of business so the restaurant was quiet. The restaurant is very pretty and the view of the river is so tranquil. The food was great! I had shrimp and grits and my husband had the scallops. The food was so flavorful and well-seasoned. Wednesday night is half-price wine for all wines by the glass and any bottles under $40 so that was a nice feature. I could ramble on but let me just say this: highly recommended!
(5)
K K.
After reading the previous review about Austin being such a good waiter, my husband and I asked specifically for him while eating here to celebrate our anniversary. We were not disappointed. Our food, wine, view, service, and experience could not have been more perfect. We will definitely be visiting again. Michael, the manager, was also very enjoyable and a pleasure to talk while we sat at the bar.
(5)
David W.
This was our first visit to the Back Inn. It was a great experience and worth a return visit. We had 7pm reservations and were seated promptly when we arrived. The hostess was very bubbly and polite. After being seated for a minute or two our server Denisse arrived. Very polite and and attentive. I will request her table when we come back. We sat close to the bar so I got to watch the servers interact with each other and other diners. Definitely an experienced group. We ordered a volcano roll appetizer (3.5/5), I got a ceaser salad (4.5/5). My wife had the grilled grouper fish of the day which was excellent. It was like eating a lobster tail cooked perfectly. (5/5) and I had the espresso rubbed NY strip. Excellent flavor and cooked exactly as ordered to medium rare. It was just a tiny bit tough but it tasted really good. A serrated steak knife would have worked much better than the straight blade I was given (4.75/5). We never felt rushed, Dennisse was very polite. Tip and all the bill came in at $125 which included 2 glasses of wine and 2 Maker 47's on the rocks. No dessert. I drank mine. We look forward to returning.
(4)
.Barry C.
A little overpriced but the view was awesome. Food was decent and great presentation.
(3)
Rachel P.
Affordable price with romantic ambiance. Food Quality is exceptional with good customer service. I will go back!!
(5)
Tony H.
Wife surprised me with a trip to check this place out as we've seen it numerous times and were curious. The place looks great and has a nice feel. It gives you the fine dining feel but the crowd can lose that feel. Guys wearing ball caps in a restaurant...lame. My wife ordered the NY strip and asked for it to be extremely well-done and specified no pink. The steak arrived and it was black on the outside and pink on the inside like medium pink. We asked them to butterfly it, slice it, whatever you need to do. However, all they did was throw it back on the grill and when it came back it was still pinkish. If you want a quality steak prepared to your liking try Hennen's or Bonefish. I had the seafood pasta something or other. The spinach ravioli was decent but nothing noteworthy. The shrimp tasted like they were frozen and overall it was rather bland. The service was fine and our waiter did what he could but it was all menu and a steak not being prepared well, we were let down. I doubt we would ever come back.
(2)
Linda R.
Wow this place was fabulous!!!!! Went there for my birthday while vacationing in Chattanooga!!! Everything was perfect!! Great food, great service, great ambiance and a GREAT view!!! The manager is also super nice and very attentive, Helped us pick a great wine too!!! Don't think twice about going.....make your reservation now, You'll be gold you did!!!
(5)
Robert S.
I spent Spring Break in Chattanooga with my girlfriend in early April, 2014. We had a number of meals out there and I have to say the Back Inn Cafe served us the best meal by far!. We got a seat out on the patio overlooking the River. The view was spectacular. Our waiter was exceptional. He knew the menu front and back and offered a lot of details about the meals themselves. Something I always find very helpful. We had an apetizer (shrimp) and it was unbelievable. The drinks were also very good, including a very nice glass of white wine. The entrees arrived on time and were above what I expected. My girlfriend had the scallions and I had the fish of the day, which I think was grouper. It was overall an unbelievable experience. Perhaps one of the best I have had in some time. A trip to Chattanooga must include the Back Inn Cafe!!!!
(5)
Thomas A.
Sat evening about 6 PM, it was pretty much empty and for the first time there (we did inform the hostess of this) it would have been great to get a seat near a window for the great view. Did not happen and no reservation but it was also pretty much empty when we left. Anyway, lobster bisque was good but no lobster. Scallops were excellent and the shrimp and grits also very good. Service exceptional. Would we go back, definitely, next time with a view.
(4)
Leanne E.
I believe that this place offeres the best caesar salad I have had in a very long time. The bread that is served before the meal- I want the recipe! I had the shrimp and grits, which was lovely. Finish your meal with the Heath Bar bread pudding.
(4)
J M.
The first time my wife and I came here was 3 years ago. The restaurant has a great view, location, atmosphere, decor, etc. However, our service was terribly slow. We would wait 20+ minutes between seeing our server. The steak I got had no flavor but the rest of the meal was decent. I thought I would never return here as Chattanooga has other quality options to choose. 3 years later my wife saw they had a Groupon and decided to give it another try. We got there at 9:35 pm on a Sat. night. When we walked in nobody was around and the place seemed empty. We waited for awhile before we went to the back and found somebody that worked there. After being seated, I quickly realized we had once again scored ourselves another incredibly slow but still friendly waiter. I decided to give the steak another try and my wife got the fish due to the waiters high recommendation. We ordered the sushi rolls as appetizers (which were decent but had so much rice that it masked the flavor of the other ingredients). As the waiter was leaving I asked if we could have bread (it's complimentary) and he said they might have some left and would try to find some which seemed odd. I got the feeling that the place was already closing up shop earlier than the stated 10pm closing. Once we finally got our food I realized that the substitution I had requested ( broccolini for asparagus) wasn't taken care of as asparagus sat on my plate. The server never said anything about it until I pointed it out. He basically said, "Oh the kitchen closed at 9:30 and we weren't able to do that". I wasn't sure why the kitchen would close as they were open until 10. My steak ended up being devoid of flavor, so I had to add some salt to try to salvage whatever seasonings had been put on it. The fish was cooked good but my wife didn't enjoy the flavor and barely touched her entree. As for the slow service I cannot understand why it was so slow as we were the only table we saw that the server was taking care of. Overall servers each time were friendly just really slow and not on their A game. My decision not to return is simply because I think Chattanooga has better food options and I would give another place I haven't tried a shot.
(2)
Melissa D.
One of my best friends proposed to his girlfriend on the Walnut Street Bridge via a flashmob on Sunday, June 16th, and the parents of the bride-to-be hosted a luncheon immediately after the proposal at the Back Inn Cafe. As we had been out in the sun rehearsing and dancing for two days, we were TIRED, but excited for the new couple - and this restaurant really did their best to make us comfortable. We were in a beautiful private room overlooking the art district, they turned the air conditioning way down for us, and turned it up again once we let them know we were finally 'cooled down' The food was fantastic, and the servers were great - our only item of criticism was how long the food took to come out. We were a large group; however, it took almost 3.5 hours for our lunch (we did have many courses though)
(4)
Chris G.
Great place to have dinner especially if you are staying at the Bluff View Inn. Great views of the river are available. The ambience of the Art District makes this a romantic experience. Plan on a stroll after dinner to enjoy the area. Visit Rembrandt's after dinner for coffee, too.
(4)
Shane K.
My wife and I were so excited to go here tonight. We made reservations and we were sat at the best table right in the corner of the sunroom overlooking the river. The waiter arrived right away and was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered our drinks, my wife had a signature cocktail and I asked for unsweetened tea. The waiter came out with our drinks, but my tea was sweet rather then unsweetened, the waiter came back a couple minutes later without me even asking realizing his mistake with an unsweetened tea. Unfortunately that was the only service we got that night. We ordered an appetizer, and my wife ordered the lobster bisque. After about 20 minutes one appetizer came out and we ordered our meals. I chose the fish special, and my wife the seafood gratin. The soup came out about 10 minutes later. Then we didn't see the waiter again for over 35 minutes. The other tables around us were getting fresh baked bread from the bakery next door, and Amuse-Bouche, which was never offered to us. After 35 minutes when the waiter came back he apologized and said he was having difficultly with a table upstairs because the party didn't speak English. My wife ordered a glass of wine and he brought me a tea, another sweet tea and this time he didn't correct his mistake. Our food came out soon after and our waiter disappeared again for another 30+ minutes. By that time we had finished our meal, and we were both without drinks. He never once checked on our meals. The tables around us were getting great service. At the end of the meal I actually asked the waiter why we didn't get the Amuse-Bouche. He said that they ran out at the time he was going to bring it??? I have to give one star because we would have come back here again, and I am sure based on what we saw with the tables around us that some servers here are great, but I feel like we were gypped. To the waiter, and I will not mention your name on this review: enjoy the $20 tip I left you because you certainly didn't deserve it. You cost your employer a repeat customer.
(1)
V K.
Came here with a larger group. Service: EXCELLENT. I forget the name of the young gentleman who served us but he was very attentive and funny. He also provided great recommendations. Wine selection: Good Food: Good. Our group ordered shrimp and grits, both kinds of steak, flatbread, caesar salad, short ribs, fried green tomatoes, and frog legs. All were solid but nothing was "amazing." For dessert, I believe we got one of everything. I particularly enjoyed the peanut butter pie. Scrumptious! Ambience: Great, we were seated outside and it was a beautiful night.
(4)
Audrey K.
I don't even want to give this place 1 star. The experience was absolutely awful. To say I was displeased with the atmosphere and the service would be a complete and utter understatement. The restaurant is open until 10 pm; however, we were told when we called to make a reservation that they seat the last table at 8pm. When we made our reservation, we requested to be sat at a table by the windows facing the river. When we arrived, we were escorted to a table where we couldn't even see any view of the river. Now I might understand this if there were no tables available; however, we were the last people to be sat at a table, and there were open tables with a river view. When we asked about moving to a different table, the hostess informed us that it was impossible. I guess at this place it must be considered "impossible" to move us to a table that is already empty and cleared and will remain that way until the restaurant closes. Our server was absolutely terrible. We asked for a few minutes to look over the drink menu before ordering any appetizers, and he made a face at us and didn't return back to our table for 20 minutes. By that time, we weren't really interested in appetizers or cocktails. But, we ordered 2 cocktails and our main meals. Our main course arrived at the table before our cocktails did! My boyfriend ordered the seafood lunchbox. He liked the calamari salad- and that was it. It seems like they took leftovers from their appetizers and made the lunchbox with it. Every section of the lunchbox was cold, even the deep-fried California rolls. And there was a mystery meat section as well- neither of us could tell if it was pork or chicken or what it was, even though the menu said it was supposedly salmon. I ordered the shrimp and grits. As I live in Atlanta and have traveled all over the south, I know me some good shrimp and grits. This was not good. It was a plate of sauce. I could barely find any shrimp or grits on my plate. I don't think anyone should pay $20 for a plate of sauce. About 5 minutes after our food was brought to the table, our server asked us if we wanted some to-go boxes for our food. WTF? My boyfriend told him that we would like some time to enjoy our meal before being presented with to-go boxes. Our waiter only returned to our table after that to give us the check. In the end, some of the food issues may have been overlooked if the hostess and our server weren't so completely rude.
(1)
Kelly K.
After a string of disappointing service and meals in the area during our vacation I was determined to have a nice meal. I googled restaurants that had been featured on Food Network, watched the short video, and made my reservation. This was a winning decision. The entrance was a little confusing but no fault of the restaurant. We were seated with a wonderful view of the river. Our server pushed this into a 5 stat review. He was wonderful and charmed us into a bread pudding desert that I don't regret. The food was fresh and creative. The gin & tonic was a little watered down...but that was ok. The only thing that was mildly annoying was a lady at another table who thought bringing her small children to this restaurant was a good decision. As a parent myself, I would certainly opt for a family friendly restaurant or a babysitter rather than singing for nearly a half hour the "happy birthday" song to entertain her children (and apparently everyone else). If you are looking for a nice ambience and excellent food....this is the spot.
(5)
Sharon T.
Gave this place two chances. It is so expensive, which would be fine if the food was good. It's not. It was some of the saltiest, driest, tasteless food I've ever had in Chattanooga (and we go out to eat a lot). I think people are fooled by the beautiful atmosphere and view, they think they are being "fancy" and "high-class" by going to eat here, but really, the food is crap! Save your $80-90 and go someplace else.
(1)
Jina R.
Easily one of the best meals I've ever had. It's been a little less than a year and half since my husband and I dined at this restaurant and I still remember it... well, most of it (we had a 5 course meal with wine pairings, so I was little tipsy by the end of it). I remember walking in on Valentine's Day weekend with no reservations beyond underdressed. I definitely felt out of place looking at their sophisticated decor and all the other customers wearing suits/heels, but their staff didn't blink an eye and politely greeted us anyways. We were crossing our fingers as we had been walking around quite some time looking for a nice place to eat with it being such a busy weekend. Luckily, they had a 9pm opening and fit us right in. When 9pm rolled around, we were seated promptly and our waiter was respectful and courteous. We decided to go with their Valentine's Day special 5 course menu and since I am the furthest thing from a wine connoisseur, I chose to go with their wine pairings. I think it was the first time I've ever had wine pairings with my meal and it was definitely a good choice! Every wine pairing went soo well with each course (from their salad to their dessert) that every bite I had was like my first. For the main course, I ordered their duck option and it was freaking AMAZING. Ever since that night, I've been ordering duck every chance I get and I don't think any restaurant has come close yet. I'm sure the 3 glasses of wine I drank prior to had some influence on my tastebuds, but I still can't get it out of my mind. What also amazed me was their salad & dessert with wine pairings. Before that night, I never even knew there were wine pairings for those 2 courses, but, boy, was I pleasantly surprised! What I concluded from that meal is that I LOVE Back Inn Cafe and wine is AWESOME!
(5)
Michael T.
I don't think eating in Chattanooga gets any better than the Back Inn Cafe. They have an incredibly varied menu with Southern classics like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes (both delicious), staples like stuffed chicken (also tasty), pork chops, New York strip, then branch out with sushi, tuna and even Thai green curry. Meanwhile, the service was very attentive and personal and the views of the Tennessee river can't be beat. It's certainly not inexpensive, but if you're looking for a memorable, delicious meal in Chattanooga, head over to the Back Inn Cafe.
(4)
Roy K.
Great experience and I would say a must eat. Cool area around the cafe along with great views. I ate the house fillet and it was great - had some lobster to go with it. I ate there solo but looks like a great place for convo and for groups. Wait staff was good but a bit too serious....which isn't a real complaint.
(5)
w r.
I keep going back to give these guys another chance. The food is delicious, the service is horrible. Most recent experience was this past friday night. After waiting 20 minutes for a server to take our drink order i got up and asked the hostess to send one. 30 minutes later a bottle of wine arrived (we've now been sitting at the table for an hour) and hour after that our food arrived. Thankfully we didn't have anything else planned that night. The wine classes are awesome, the food service is terrible. Whoever is managing this place needs a wake up.
(1)
J C.
Only had the dessert & it was AMAZING!! Lick ur plate good =)
(5)
Timber W.
I took my mother to Back Inn Cafe one hot summer day. We sat in the sunroom-type area, basking in the natural light with the comfort of the air conditioning. When we went, there was a unique appetizer on the menu, something like sushi caprese, which I had to try since I love caprese salads. The app didn't disappoint. Then, I had seared tuna as my entree. It was cooked medium rare--I think the rarer, the better--and tasted wonderful. The service, too, was outstanding. Nary a dirty utensil remained on the table after each course, and our water glasses stayed full. I love it!
(5)
Gen M.
Had easter brunch here, it ok. It was a bit expensive for the quality of food. I expected a lot more for the price and it supposedly being an upscale restaurant but it was really just buffet food. I wouldn't go back for easter brunch again. Service was decent. It was weird how they separated the people into different buildings. While we waited my husband and I watched as they put the people who were dressed fancy and looked like they had money in the ritzy building, the buffet was very elegant and done up really nice. While the average casual joe was taken to the other building that was...not as nicely decorated and the buffet didn't look half as good.
(3)
John T.
Excellent place to eat a good meal if you are near the Chattanooga Art District. This place has a good Chef. We have eaten here several times over the past 4 years and the food is consistantly very good.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Sia G.
My five stars are for the Wine Classes you can take at this fine establishment. One of my favorite things to do in Chattanooga. Limited seating, once a month. Different wine each month with meal included. Perfect location overlooking the Tennessee River. Fantastic staff.
(5)Javier O.
It is Freezing cold in Chattanooga this morning. After driving 100 miles this morning at 4 am for a 1/2 hour meeting, I did not want to go back to my hotel right away. My gps guided me instead to the Back Inn Cafe. This quaint little inn was quit charming. Upon entering you are welcomed in the foyer. Off to the right, there is a sofa and several chairs with a fire place. To the left, another fireplace and dining tables. On this cold day, it's just what I needed. Breakfast by the fire place. Today's breakfast special was an omelet with spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese. I ordered a side of toast and sausage links. The Back Inn Cafe was one of Rachel Ray's recommendation and once again she did not disappoint. The food here is wonderful, high quality to be precise. My server was very attentive to my needs. The food and atmosphere would get an A+, service would also receive an A+
(5)Barefoot B.
I go to this place every time I visit my family in Chattanooga. The dinning areas all overlook a garden-landscaped courtyard in the arts district of the city above the river. Aside from this, the brunch is ALWAYS "ON POINT"! BEST BLOODY MARY i've ever had. hand's down. Now I know that this is a bold statement, but I can say this with no hesitation. I make a pretty decent bloody mary and I've been on the quest for finding its rival ever since. If you ever visit this area, you must try this BM, you'll dream about it for years to come. here's another tip: If you're the BM type, you should ask them to "make it spicy" for you. It will completely kick you in the face and you'll love every minute of it.
(4)Bethany W.
This place is completely not worth the money spent on food. We only stop there every once in a blue moon, and only for a glass of wine since it's really close to where we live and the restaurant does have a great view of the river. But the service is so sporadic, sometimes decent, sometimes absolutely terrible. Their menu has been so inconsistent, you'd think it'd changed ownership & chefs every year. I'd head downtown to Easy Bistro or St. John's Restaurant in a heart beat if I want to spend that much money on food and gratuity and a guaranteed enjoyable evening.
(1)PJ P.
During my first visit here we walked in just to have a coffee but fell in love with the views from the sunroom so we stayed for dinner. We were lucky that there was an opening so suggest that you reserve for one of the window tables in advance. The service was very friendly and portions where very good. Curry chicken had excilent flavor and prepared perfectly. The seafood pasta was also full of shrimp, mussel and clams that they were in every bite. Dessert was hazelnut cheescake, very excelent. And yes, the coffe selection was also great. This is a very great place to bring that special someone and have a very romantic evening.
(5)Zeke A.
Charming place with some great views of the river. We came for dessert, but then decided we had to get a couple of appetizers. My boyfriend and I are suckers for Caprese salad. It's so simple and so tasty. The presentation was lovely. We also ordered the fried green tomatoes which were dressed up a bit with a little shredded cheese and prosciutto. What a way to liven up such a classic southern specialty. Now on to the dessert. You must try the toffee bread pudding!!! With a scoop of ice cream....orgasmic...really! We were pigs and also tried the peanut butter pie. Very rich and decadent, which I loved. This dessert is only if you have a major sweet tooh (like me) otherwise it may be too much and one bite will suffice. The service was good. We were seated right away. Our waiter was super friendly. He was also knowledgeable about the menu, made us laugh, and just had that Southern finesse which I love. The only hiccup was that a little bug fell into my water glass...but that was replaced. Definitely worth a visit - go check it out!
(4)Kelly M.
it was 'just okay'. the bread was cold (not room temp...COLD) and cold bean dip to eat with it. The waiter was nice and attentive and the food was okay otherwise. I was expecting So Much More.
(3)Ryan H.
My wife and I went to Back Inn Cafe last night to use the Groupon I bought and was very displeased from the service we received. This was the last night the Groupon could be used, which yes was my fault for waiting until the last minute. However I think the restaurant knew it was the last night as well, like they didn't want us to eat there. We saw a few open tables with no one waiting. The hostess told us we couldn't sit at the bar. Just very confused why we were being treated like this. We were dressed nice. The hostess told us they had an reservation open for 8:30, it was 6:45 when we were there and honestly didn't not want to wait that long. It wasn't that busy! We live in Chattanooga, and I never plan on returning to eat at this restaurant.
(1)Jamie F.
"Meh." That's the best way to describe my experience. We went there because Tony's Pasta Shop was packed. Well, to begin our evening, the hostess seemed annoyed that we didn't have reservations. When we were seated, we didn't see a server for ten minutes. When we were able to order, we went for The Volcano Roll appetizer. It was like fried balls of warm mushy rice. Sad. I got the seafood gratin, and my husband got the mussel linguine. Midway through our meal, the server came by and said, "Oh, I forgot to give you guys bread." And so we got our bread. Our cold, mushy, foul bread...yay. My entree was, like I said, "meh"...Over cooked fish drowning in sauce with some ravioli. My husband's linguine was equally blah. The service was the worst. No personality server, who seemed to forget us often, and let our glasses get empty and stay empty. I had better food and service at some of the smaller, less fancy places down town. I don't know if Back Inn Cafe is relying on location or what. Yes, it's pretty up on the bluff. The restaurant is pretty. The view is pretty. But, the food and service was sad. ESPECIALLY for the prices. Never again.
(1)Leto Z.
Great food. Shrimp and grits. For dinner. Plus I tried my spouses fish of the day special which was a snapper. Both were made with so much southern flavor. Appetizer. Salmon cake was ok. The chilli was Nothing special.
(5)Michele W.
My husband and I went to Back Inn Cafe on a Wednesday and they were having half price wine night. They have a beautiful patio overlooking the river and we sat outside. They also have sun rooms inside if you prefer to sit inside. We have eaten here before and rated the food as good but not spectacular. Tonight though, we really enjoyed our meal. I got the scallops with a corn pico de gallo. My husband got the vegetarian dish which was even better. Of course we had to get a bottle of wine since it was half price. Sitting outside, sipping on wine, and enjoying the superb atmosphere and fantastic food was a real treat. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert. We will have to go back for dessert because there were several items which looked delicious. They are next door to a bakery and use their fresh items. The only reason I didn't give them a five star is that the service was somewhat unorganized and slow. We didn't really care though because we had more time to enjoy the view.
(4)Brian R.
I had the stuffed quail which was outstanding. Other guests had steaks and shrimp. All enjoyed their meals. I will warn you that service is going to seem slow because the eating area is upstairs on the third floor and the kitchen is on the first, so the wait staff is constantly going up and down stairs. Our waiter may have been new because while there were specials of the day, we were never told of them. We heard them from another table. I saw something being served and asked if it was the quail. He said yes. It wasn't. It may have been a lamb chop or pork chop, which I suspect was one of the daily specials. All in all the meal was good, service so so.
(4)Deborah H.
Had the best food , best drinks and the best waiter. This place is a 5 star. The food was amazing and the service was awesome. Thanks for a great anniversary.
(5)Susan R.
We had dinner at the Back Inn Cafe last evening and I have no complaints about it at all! Rance was our server and his timing was great; we lacked for nothing, but didn't feel rushed. That is a plus for me. Being a Wednesday night, there was not a lot of business so the restaurant was quiet. The restaurant is very pretty and the view of the river is so tranquil. The food was great! I had shrimp and grits and my husband had the scallops. The food was so flavorful and well-seasoned. Wednesday night is half-price wine for all wines by the glass and any bottles under $40 so that was a nice feature. I could ramble on but let me just say this: highly recommended!
(5)K K.
After reading the previous review about Austin being such a good waiter, my husband and I asked specifically for him while eating here to celebrate our anniversary. We were not disappointed. Our food, wine, view, service, and experience could not have been more perfect. We will definitely be visiting again. Michael, the manager, was also very enjoyable and a pleasure to talk while we sat at the bar.
(5)David W.
This was our first visit to the Back Inn. It was a great experience and worth a return visit. We had 7pm reservations and were seated promptly when we arrived. The hostess was very bubbly and polite. After being seated for a minute or two our server Denisse arrived. Very polite and and attentive. I will request her table when we come back. We sat close to the bar so I got to watch the servers interact with each other and other diners. Definitely an experienced group. We ordered a volcano roll appetizer (3.5/5), I got a ceaser salad (4.5/5). My wife had the grilled grouper fish of the day which was excellent. It was like eating a lobster tail cooked perfectly. (5/5) and I had the espresso rubbed NY strip. Excellent flavor and cooked exactly as ordered to medium rare. It was just a tiny bit tough but it tasted really good. A serrated steak knife would have worked much better than the straight blade I was given (4.75/5). We never felt rushed, Dennisse was very polite. Tip and all the bill came in at $125 which included 2 glasses of wine and 2 Maker 47's on the rocks. No dessert. I drank mine. We look forward to returning.
(4).Barry C.
A little overpriced but the view was awesome. Food was decent and great presentation.
(3)Rachel P.
Affordable price with romantic ambiance. Food Quality is exceptional with good customer service. I will go back!!
(5)Tony H.
Wife surprised me with a trip to check this place out as we've seen it numerous times and were curious. The place looks great and has a nice feel. It gives you the fine dining feel but the crowd can lose that feel. Guys wearing ball caps in a restaurant...lame. My wife ordered the NY strip and asked for it to be extremely well-done and specified no pink. The steak arrived and it was black on the outside and pink on the inside like medium pink. We asked them to butterfly it, slice it, whatever you need to do. However, all they did was throw it back on the grill and when it came back it was still pinkish. If you want a quality steak prepared to your liking try Hennen's or Bonefish. I had the seafood pasta something or other. The spinach ravioli was decent but nothing noteworthy. The shrimp tasted like they were frozen and overall it was rather bland. The service was fine and our waiter did what he could but it was all menu and a steak not being prepared well, we were let down. I doubt we would ever come back.
(2)Linda R.
Wow this place was fabulous!!!!! Went there for my birthday while vacationing in Chattanooga!!! Everything was perfect!! Great food, great service, great ambiance and a GREAT view!!! The manager is also super nice and very attentive, Helped us pick a great wine too!!! Don't think twice about going.....make your reservation now, You'll be gold you did!!!
(5)Robert S.
I spent Spring Break in Chattanooga with my girlfriend in early April, 2014. We had a number of meals out there and I have to say the Back Inn Cafe served us the best meal by far!. We got a seat out on the patio overlooking the River. The view was spectacular. Our waiter was exceptional. He knew the menu front and back and offered a lot of details about the meals themselves. Something I always find very helpful. We had an apetizer (shrimp) and it was unbelievable. The drinks were also very good, including a very nice glass of white wine. The entrees arrived on time and were above what I expected. My girlfriend had the scallions and I had the fish of the day, which I think was grouper. It was overall an unbelievable experience. Perhaps one of the best I have had in some time. A trip to Chattanooga must include the Back Inn Cafe!!!!
(5)Thomas A.
Sat evening about 6 PM, it was pretty much empty and for the first time there (we did inform the hostess of this) it would have been great to get a seat near a window for the great view. Did not happen and no reservation but it was also pretty much empty when we left. Anyway, lobster bisque was good but no lobster. Scallops were excellent and the shrimp and grits also very good. Service exceptional. Would we go back, definitely, next time with a view.
(4)Leanne E.
I believe that this place offeres the best caesar salad I have had in a very long time. The bread that is served before the meal- I want the recipe! I had the shrimp and grits, which was lovely. Finish your meal with the Heath Bar bread pudding.
(4)J M.
The first time my wife and I came here was 3 years ago. The restaurant has a great view, location, atmosphere, decor, etc. However, our service was terribly slow. We would wait 20+ minutes between seeing our server. The steak I got had no flavor but the rest of the meal was decent. I thought I would never return here as Chattanooga has other quality options to choose. 3 years later my wife saw they had a Groupon and decided to give it another try. We got there at 9:35 pm on a Sat. night. When we walked in nobody was around and the place seemed empty. We waited for awhile before we went to the back and found somebody that worked there. After being seated, I quickly realized we had once again scored ourselves another incredibly slow but still friendly waiter. I decided to give the steak another try and my wife got the fish due to the waiters high recommendation. We ordered the sushi rolls as appetizers (which were decent but had so much rice that it masked the flavor of the other ingredients). As the waiter was leaving I asked if we could have bread (it's complimentary) and he said they might have some left and would try to find some which seemed odd. I got the feeling that the place was already closing up shop earlier than the stated 10pm closing. Once we finally got our food I realized that the substitution I had requested ( broccolini for asparagus) wasn't taken care of as asparagus sat on my plate. The server never said anything about it until I pointed it out. He basically said, "Oh the kitchen closed at 9:30 and we weren't able to do that". I wasn't sure why the kitchen would close as they were open until 10. My steak ended up being devoid of flavor, so I had to add some salt to try to salvage whatever seasonings had been put on it. The fish was cooked good but my wife didn't enjoy the flavor and barely touched her entree. As for the slow service I cannot understand why it was so slow as we were the only table we saw that the server was taking care of. Overall servers each time were friendly just really slow and not on their A game. My decision not to return is simply because I think Chattanooga has better food options and I would give another place I haven't tried a shot.
(2)Melissa D.
One of my best friends proposed to his girlfriend on the Walnut Street Bridge via a flashmob on Sunday, June 16th, and the parents of the bride-to-be hosted a luncheon immediately after the proposal at the Back Inn Cafe. As we had been out in the sun rehearsing and dancing for two days, we were TIRED, but excited for the new couple - and this restaurant really did their best to make us comfortable. We were in a beautiful private room overlooking the art district, they turned the air conditioning way down for us, and turned it up again once we let them know we were finally 'cooled down' The food was fantastic, and the servers were great - our only item of criticism was how long the food took to come out. We were a large group; however, it took almost 3.5 hours for our lunch (we did have many courses though)
(4)Chris G.
Great place to have dinner especially if you are staying at the Bluff View Inn. Great views of the river are available. The ambience of the Art District makes this a romantic experience. Plan on a stroll after dinner to enjoy the area. Visit Rembrandt's after dinner for coffee, too.
(4)Shane K.
My wife and I were so excited to go here tonight. We made reservations and we were sat at the best table right in the corner of the sunroom overlooking the river. The waiter arrived right away and was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered our drinks, my wife had a signature cocktail and I asked for unsweetened tea. The waiter came out with our drinks, but my tea was sweet rather then unsweetened, the waiter came back a couple minutes later without me even asking realizing his mistake with an unsweetened tea. Unfortunately that was the only service we got that night. We ordered an appetizer, and my wife ordered the lobster bisque. After about 20 minutes one appetizer came out and we ordered our meals. I chose the fish special, and my wife the seafood gratin. The soup came out about 10 minutes later. Then we didn't see the waiter again for over 35 minutes. The other tables around us were getting fresh baked bread from the bakery next door, and Amuse-Bouche, which was never offered to us. After 35 minutes when the waiter came back he apologized and said he was having difficultly with a table upstairs because the party didn't speak English. My wife ordered a glass of wine and he brought me a tea, another sweet tea and this time he didn't correct his mistake. Our food came out soon after and our waiter disappeared again for another 30+ minutes. By that time we had finished our meal, and we were both without drinks. He never once checked on our meals. The tables around us were getting great service. At the end of the meal I actually asked the waiter why we didn't get the Amuse-Bouche. He said that they ran out at the time he was going to bring it??? I have to give one star because we would have come back here again, and I am sure based on what we saw with the tables around us that some servers here are great, but I feel like we were gypped. To the waiter, and I will not mention your name on this review: enjoy the $20 tip I left you because you certainly didn't deserve it. You cost your employer a repeat customer.
(1)V K.
Came here with a larger group. Service: EXCELLENT. I forget the name of the young gentleman who served us but he was very attentive and funny. He also provided great recommendations. Wine selection: Good Food: Good. Our group ordered shrimp and grits, both kinds of steak, flatbread, caesar salad, short ribs, fried green tomatoes, and frog legs. All were solid but nothing was "amazing." For dessert, I believe we got one of everything. I particularly enjoyed the peanut butter pie. Scrumptious! Ambience: Great, we were seated outside and it was a beautiful night.
(4)Audrey K.
I don't even want to give this place 1 star. The experience was absolutely awful. To say I was displeased with the atmosphere and the service would be a complete and utter understatement. The restaurant is open until 10 pm; however, we were told when we called to make a reservation that they seat the last table at 8pm. When we made our reservation, we requested to be sat at a table by the windows facing the river. When we arrived, we were escorted to a table where we couldn't even see any view of the river. Now I might understand this if there were no tables available; however, we were the last people to be sat at a table, and there were open tables with a river view. When we asked about moving to a different table, the hostess informed us that it was impossible. I guess at this place it must be considered "impossible" to move us to a table that is already empty and cleared and will remain that way until the restaurant closes. Our server was absolutely terrible. We asked for a few minutes to look over the drink menu before ordering any appetizers, and he made a face at us and didn't return back to our table for 20 minutes. By that time, we weren't really interested in appetizers or cocktails. But, we ordered 2 cocktails and our main meals. Our main course arrived at the table before our cocktails did! My boyfriend ordered the seafood lunchbox. He liked the calamari salad- and that was it. It seems like they took leftovers from their appetizers and made the lunchbox with it. Every section of the lunchbox was cold, even the deep-fried California rolls. And there was a mystery meat section as well- neither of us could tell if it was pork or chicken or what it was, even though the menu said it was supposedly salmon. I ordered the shrimp and grits. As I live in Atlanta and have traveled all over the south, I know me some good shrimp and grits. This was not good. It was a plate of sauce. I could barely find any shrimp or grits on my plate. I don't think anyone should pay $20 for a plate of sauce. About 5 minutes after our food was brought to the table, our server asked us if we wanted some to-go boxes for our food. WTF? My boyfriend told him that we would like some time to enjoy our meal before being presented with to-go boxes. Our waiter only returned to our table after that to give us the check. In the end, some of the food issues may have been overlooked if the hostess and our server weren't so completely rude.
(1)Kelly K.
After a string of disappointing service and meals in the area during our vacation I was determined to have a nice meal. I googled restaurants that had been featured on Food Network, watched the short video, and made my reservation. This was a winning decision. The entrance was a little confusing but no fault of the restaurant. We were seated with a wonderful view of the river. Our server pushed this into a 5 stat review. He was wonderful and charmed us into a bread pudding desert that I don't regret. The food was fresh and creative. The gin & tonic was a little watered down...but that was ok. The only thing that was mildly annoying was a lady at another table who thought bringing her small children to this restaurant was a good decision. As a parent myself, I would certainly opt for a family friendly restaurant or a babysitter rather than singing for nearly a half hour the "happy birthday" song to entertain her children (and apparently everyone else). If you are looking for a nice ambience and excellent food....this is the spot.
(5)Sharon T.
Gave this place two chances. It is so expensive, which would be fine if the food was good. It's not. It was some of the saltiest, driest, tasteless food I've ever had in Chattanooga (and we go out to eat a lot). I think people are fooled by the beautiful atmosphere and view, they think they are being "fancy" and "high-class" by going to eat here, but really, the food is crap! Save your $80-90 and go someplace else.
(1)Jina R.
Easily one of the best meals I've ever had. It's been a little less than a year and half since my husband and I dined at this restaurant and I still remember it... well, most of it (we had a 5 course meal with wine pairings, so I was little tipsy by the end of it). I remember walking in on Valentine's Day weekend with no reservations beyond underdressed. I definitely felt out of place looking at their sophisticated decor and all the other customers wearing suits/heels, but their staff didn't blink an eye and politely greeted us anyways. We were crossing our fingers as we had been walking around quite some time looking for a nice place to eat with it being such a busy weekend. Luckily, they had a 9pm opening and fit us right in. When 9pm rolled around, we were seated promptly and our waiter was respectful and courteous. We decided to go with their Valentine's Day special 5 course menu and since I am the furthest thing from a wine connoisseur, I chose to go with their wine pairings. I think it was the first time I've ever had wine pairings with my meal and it was definitely a good choice! Every wine pairing went soo well with each course (from their salad to their dessert) that every bite I had was like my first. For the main course, I ordered their duck option and it was freaking AMAZING. Ever since that night, I've been ordering duck every chance I get and I don't think any restaurant has come close yet. I'm sure the 3 glasses of wine I drank prior to had some influence on my tastebuds, but I still can't get it out of my mind. What also amazed me was their salad & dessert with wine pairings. Before that night, I never even knew there were wine pairings for those 2 courses, but, boy, was I pleasantly surprised! What I concluded from that meal is that I LOVE Back Inn Cafe and wine is AWESOME!
(5)Michael T.
I don't think eating in Chattanooga gets any better than the Back Inn Cafe. They have an incredibly varied menu with Southern classics like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes (both delicious), staples like stuffed chicken (also tasty), pork chops, New York strip, then branch out with sushi, tuna and even Thai green curry. Meanwhile, the service was very attentive and personal and the views of the Tennessee river can't be beat. It's certainly not inexpensive, but if you're looking for a memorable, delicious meal in Chattanooga, head over to the Back Inn Cafe.
(4)Roy K.
Great experience and I would say a must eat. Cool area around the cafe along with great views. I ate the house fillet and it was great - had some lobster to go with it. I ate there solo but looks like a great place for convo and for groups. Wait staff was good but a bit too serious....which isn't a real complaint.
(5)w r.
I keep going back to give these guys another chance. The food is delicious, the service is horrible. Most recent experience was this past friday night. After waiting 20 minutes for a server to take our drink order i got up and asked the hostess to send one. 30 minutes later a bottle of wine arrived (we've now been sitting at the table for an hour) and hour after that our food arrived. Thankfully we didn't have anything else planned that night. The wine classes are awesome, the food service is terrible. Whoever is managing this place needs a wake up.
(1)J C.
Only had the dessert & it was AMAZING!! Lick ur plate good =)
(5)Timber W.
I took my mother to Back Inn Cafe one hot summer day. We sat in the sunroom-type area, basking in the natural light with the comfort of the air conditioning. When we went, there was a unique appetizer on the menu, something like sushi caprese, which I had to try since I love caprese salads. The app didn't disappoint. Then, I had seared tuna as my entree. It was cooked medium rare--I think the rarer, the better--and tasted wonderful. The service, too, was outstanding. Nary a dirty utensil remained on the table after each course, and our water glasses stayed full. I love it!
(5)Gen M.
Had easter brunch here, it ok. It was a bit expensive for the quality of food. I expected a lot more for the price and it supposedly being an upscale restaurant but it was really just buffet food. I wouldn't go back for easter brunch again. Service was decent. It was weird how they separated the people into different buildings. While we waited my husband and I watched as they put the people who were dressed fancy and looked like they had money in the ritzy building, the buffet was very elegant and done up really nice. While the average casual joe was taken to the other building that was...not as nicely decorated and the buffet didn't look half as good.
(3)John T.
Excellent place to eat a good meal if you are near the Chattanooga Art District. This place has a good Chef. We have eaten here several times over the past 4 years and the food is consistantly very good.
(4)