Automatic Slim's gets bonus points for their cool atmosphere and wide variety of drinks. This is definitely a place to come for drinks rather than food, although I've heard great things about their brunch. I've always had outstanding service here. I always sit at the bar and the bartenders are fun to talk to and good at their jobs. The food here is good - it wouldn't be my first dining choice for downtown, though. I will say that I did enjoy my bacon wrapped scallops and would get them again!
(4)
Jennifer L.
My review is based solely on $3 Martini Monday. This makes for a great happy hour if you work Downtown or are staying downtown. The martini selection is extensive. I had three martinis at this visit and enjoyed them all. The bubble bath is my go to. I also had a Georgia peach and flirtini. This is a mainstay on my happy hour rotation. The man sitting next to me the bar saw me writing this review and wanted me to tell you he enjoyed the food. He ordered the chicken piccata.
(4)
Christianne B.
Choose Automatic Slims for Sunday brunch today. Service was great and they had $2.50 mimosas on special! That's a deal that you can't beat. I loved the decor in the restaurant, modern and yet vintage also. My only complain was the lack of flavor in the food. The menu had a variety of interesting options and I chose the frittata special while my boyfriend tried the chicken and waffles. Both of our plates looked great, but lacked flavor. It was not bad tasting, just not exciting. I'll likely be back to give it another go, they have great drink specials throughout the week!
(4)
Senwhaa L.
Food was great....until it came back up an hour after I had it. I had the redfish and risotto while my friend had the tuna. We each had a martini (she had a Washington a Apple and I had the Bubble Bath) and split the lobster tots. We thought the food was fine until towards the end, then everything starts going downhill. My friend notices a dead fly in her water. We tell the waitress and all she could do was laugh then tell us she will bring us more water and apologize for not having ice (apologizing for having NO ice but NOT for the fly). We notice flies in the restroom then later in the night, I get sick. Would not recommend this place nor would I return.
(1)
Nichole B.
Martini Monday is awesome. ALL martinis are $3 and the food is good. For a snack the potato crisps with cheese fondue are great.
(4)
Deanna W.
MIMOSA BONG! The mimosa gets me everytime for brunch, and I don't hate it. First off, I have been here with two big parties, and the staff was incredible both times. One of the waiters even remembered me from months back (probably cause I drink a lot of water). I know parties can be a hassle, but they catered to us so well both times! Y'all, you need to come here for brunch. The mimosa bong is a definite plus, but I have never tried so many entrees and liked all of them. I can't even tell you what my favorite is. I am still discovering :)! Also if you're a salmon love like me, please please please give theirs a try. One of the best I have ever had. I don't know if its the coconut risotto, or the haricot verts, but their Cedar Plank Creole Salmon really hit the spot. They're at a great location as well, and the restaurant itself is pretty cool!
(4)
Jennifer R.
Yes. Yes. Yes is all I can say about their brunch! I can't believe I have not gone to their brunch sooner!! $2.50 Blood Mary and Mimosas?!?!?!?!!!!! $8 waffle/pancakes?!?!?! A mimosa bong?!?! Oh My....! I ordered so much food because it all looked amazing! I ordered the chocolate chip pancakes but instead of the orange butter that came with it, I ordered the chocolate syrup. I also ordered the Slim Scramble cause we were brunching for 3 hours and got hungry again!! (fatty) Needless to say I found a new favorite brunch spot!!!
(4)
Michelle F.
Great food. Great atmosphere.
(3)
Joy C.
I went her for Memphis Dining Week on 11/19/14. I was excited about the event menu and could not wait!!! My husband and I arrived to very nice hostesses and escorted us to our seat. 1st course comes, great salad with half off wine!! 2nd course, the moment we been waiting for...blah, blah and blah!! The portions should have been on the kids menu. It's like they split a full portion, which is not that big to begin with, and served us the split halves!! Disappointed in the whole ordeal. Taste was ok, desert was the best part, oreo cheesecake!!.... MMMMMMMMM!!!! We talked about returning on a regular night but was reminded of the small portions!! First impressions do matter in human form and food :/
(2)
Elle S.
We had a party of 32 people. I was worried about all the bad reviews. Out experience was good specially for 32 people. There was some issue with table seating but they fixed it no problem. Food was great: Mac n cheese app was delicious Lobster flatbread was ok Wedge salad was good, probably not the nicest blue cheese used but I ate all of it sooo i can't complain Red fish was good... Very spicy, white sauce was very good, toned down the spicy Shrimp and grits was good... Also spicy. Whatever brown sauce they used was really good. Scallops were good as well. Someone had the tenderloin and they said it was good. The martinis we're ok. But I only had two drinks so I can't judge that well. Servers were great, I even tipped on top of the 20% automatic gratuity because taking of 32 people is not always that easy and it went smoothly and the servers were nice which is a biggie w me.
(5)
Ben W.
$3 Martini Mondays. Need I say more?
(5)
Marc B.
Delicious!! Sat at the bar during Sunday brunch and started w mimosa and a fantastic Bloody Mary. Then we had chicken and waffles and the 'automatically you way' where you select your own combo. Biscuits and gravy, grits and eggs and they were all so perfectly seasoned and cooked, such a delicious taste of the south. Also very festive atmosphere with great music playing, friendly attentive staff chatty locals. Highly recommended it!!
We went here for downtown dining week. Entrees only 20 bucks and drink specials I thought the lobster tater tots we're great made it worth getting out of the house on a rainy night. My girlfriend didn't like them she said they tasted like a fried ball of something. I wanted the grouper but my girlfriend wanted me to have the beef. So we got in a fight because we couldn't both order the same thing. As it turned out their group who was extremely dry. Which for some reason my girlfriend celebrated with glee. I thought the pork tasted great but my girlfriend said it was dry it and if it didn't have sauce she would have thrown it away. The bread pudding dessert with the worst I've ever had super dry and definitely not worth the carbs. The Elvis dessert was very good and approached greatness. The rasberry whiskey martini almost made me want to throw up. if I come here again it will be you to eat the lobster hush puppies and drink a beer at the bar and watch the game.
(2)
Amanda M.
This was hands down the absolute worst brunch I have ever had in my life. I do not say those words lightly. A) The Bloody Mary: Kudos for the fact that it's a $2.50 mimosa or bloody mary. But, folks, you get what you pay for. There was no discernible alcohol in my beverage whatsoever. In place of vodka, I chewed on perhaps a half a pound of celery seed, and dodged the chili/bbq sauce rim. I ordered an extra shot of vodka to prove to myself that I was indeed drinking an adult beverage, and that was $5. Don't get me wrong. $5 is fine for a shot, but seems ridics to pay twice as much as the bloody mary if a shot is already allegedly in there. No one else at our table finished theirs either. *Mimosas were fine. Go with mimosas! B) My friend ordered biscuits and gravy. They were laughable. It looked like someone took a paintbrush and brushed on a swath of gravy. (I will attach a picture.) I mean, why the hell would anyone order parmesan cheese biscuits and gravy if there's only eau de gravy?? The biscuits were also cardboard hard. She spent the entire meal trying to saw through them, until she finally gave up on everything. C) I ordered salmon eggs benedict. Where to begin.... First, I think it customary for there to be any kind of starch..an English muffin...a biscuit...ANYTHING! to go underneath. There was nothing. Just salmon, eggs, and a coagulated "hollandaise." Second, the salmon was tremendously overcooked. Third, the two "poached eggs" were just sad...watery, and one had presumably burst before it made the plate - there was no yolk. Fourth, the portion size was ...tiny. The giant plate arrived with overcooked salmon the size of the botched eggs, and my friends laughed and said, "Ha, hope you're not hungry." There was a general consensus at our table that no one would ever eat there again, but we did all laugh about how terrible it managed to be.
(1)
Erick H.
Don't listen to any of these other fools who speak negatively of this establishment. I love this restaurant, and it is all around great. The food was satisfying and the service was excellent. I will definitely be back. The only downside is that the food is a little pricey, but I can assure you it is a good value. Automatic Slim's is a very unique dining experience and I definitely recommend it.
(5)
Jack S.
Unfortunately this establishment put a big damper on a much anticipated first visit to Memphis. It has a great urban vibe, eclectic menu and a lots of specialty drinks and draft beer. After ordering and served delicious lobster hush puppies in a matter of minutes it was time to order adult beverages. At 54 it was fun to be carded even though it had nothing to with being mistaken for a 20 year old, it was policy. No problem I happily obliged. Then BAM! Everything "went South" and never recovered. Because I hail from the state of Illinois where safe drivers (aka no violations or accidents) are able to renew online and get a new card sent in the mail with very official holographically enhanced sticker on the back stating: CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION "License expires four years from expiration date on face of license" By Jesse White, Secretary of State. In my case the 4 year expiration date is September 2015. Could not be more clear. Well not according to "Automatic Slims" management. Even though I fly for business about 20 times a year to various US airports, TSA has never denied my passage. I've used the same ID during bank and real estate transactions without a hitch. But now in this happy moment with my family, after a 7 hour drive and touching visit to the Civil Rights Museum I was told repeatedly by the manager of this establishment my license was EXPIRED. Period. She had never seen this type of extension and therefore it was not legal to serve me a beer. She said the state is very strict about this and as a law abiding citizen I can appreciate her following procedure. But had a state official or cop showed up I am very certain this would have been a non issue. I debated her judgement with a calm explanatory tone but when she stared back with crossed arms and a cold immovable stance, I became insulted. I paid for the appetizer and abruptly left. Amazes me that this happened at all, completely avoidable had the manager taken some time to validate her snap judgement. The 1 star is for the delicious appetizer and our welcoming and efficient server who seemed just as embarrassed by this decision as we were. PS About an hour later my adult son took it upon himself to research this state of Illinois renewal practice online and email the info to the Automatic Slims website. I had no idea he was up to this, but I think the discomfort of the situation required closure, so he went back to Automatic Slims in person to explain it so they did not make the mistake to other unsuspecting Illinois customers. Management had already read the email and apologized to my son. While that was nice of them, the damage is done.
(1)
Jonathan H.
Great find! Brunch is fantastic. Perfectly poached egg in the Benedict. The inside out patty melt is great. They melt and caramelize the cheese on the outside of the bun. Yum!
(4)
Emily C.
I have dined here twice the past few weeks. The food has been absolutely delectable each time. I highly recommend the Georgia Peach martini! I can't wait to go back to try more of their specialty martinis - so many to choose from. I can't even put into words how delicious the grilled oysters are! I would rank their salmon entree above any salmon I've had anywhere in the country. I had the crawfish risotto and fresh asparagus served with it. The service is always great. I can't wait to return soon! Make sure you check out their daily specials. I have heard wonderful things about their Brunch and excited to try it soon!
(4)
Steph M.
This was probably the worst brunch eperience I've had to date... There are really no words. We were greeted by a surly hostess who looked around and informed us that there were no tables available, so we offered to sit at the bar. No big deal. Upon sitting down, I immediately noticed flies buzzing around, open bottles with no spouts, and other telltale signs that this bar was not kept up properly.. The lone bartender was running around like crazy, preparing "mimosa bongs" and stocking the bar, but she greeted us instantly. She said that she would be back in a few moments with menu's, which turned into dropping off menu's about ten minutes later. I ordered a bloody mary, which took about ten minutes for her to make, and which consisted of half a pint glass (HALF, PEOPLE) of Worcestershire sauce. I took one sip, almost gagged, and didn't touch it again. $2.50 bloody mary's if you can stomach straight Worcestershire sauce.. I ordered the dish where you can choose three options, and I chose biscuits and gravy, potato hash, and bacon. The boyfriend ordered the chorizo hash. We watched a chorizo hash get sent back to the kitchen for not having the special ordered eggs on top. About five minutes later, our food arrived.. With his chorizo hash cold, the eggs broken and congealed on top. There's nothing you could say to convince me that wasn't the messed up order that was sent back ten minutes before.. My biscuits and gravy were generic biscuits and gravy, but the gravy was extremely rich. My potato hash? Were just potatoes. Broiled sweet potatoes at that, nothing hash about it. And this is literally. The first time in my entire life. That I've refused to eat bacon. It was rubbery, greasy and cold, and it turned my stomach. We asked for the check, paid out (tipped the bartender, of course) and left. The ONLY good thing about this visit was the bartender. She was running like crazy, to the point that she couldn't even take care of her less than half full bar, but she was obviously trying. She had a good attitude and was attempting to make the best of it, even though it was obviously not a good day. The rest of the staff really irritated me, only because I've worked in restaurants for years. As the bartender ran around making drinks for the servers, about five waitresses congregated at the end of the bar, obviously perturbed about having to wait for their drinks to be made, and impatiently tapped their feet. God forbid you offer or attempt to jump in and help.. I mean, I created a yelp account to post this, it was just that bad. I will definitely never be back.
(1)
Joelle P.
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please? There is a new hands down winner for Memphis brunch and that is Automatic Slim's. Because let's face it, any place with a MIMOSA BONG is going to be rated pretty high in my book (please see the photo I uploaded...you have to see it to believe it...and appreciate it). But even though their mimosas are spectacular ($2.50 by the glass), their food is even better. I haven't had brunch like that in a very very very long time. In fact, I ordered two entrees because I couldn't decide...and I also got dessert. Their grilled cheese was an absolute revelation...that may seem like a boring menu item, but honey, it wasn't with their culinary twist. And the s'more dessert? The best thing I've had in months. The banana pancakes? Gone in 60 seconds. And what I really wanted was the Oreo waffles...but decided my already too tight pants didn't need it. I have always loved the atmosphere here (as well as their martinis) but never found something on the menu that kept me coming back as a regular -that has all changed now that I've discovered their brunch menu. By the way, if you want to go where the downtowners go it seems this is the place. I chatted with a few tables near me and they were all downtown dwellers who have Automatic Slim's as their go-to weekend brunch place. I can see why. I had way too many mimosas (i.e. 4), 2 entrees and a dessert for $35! (OK, with tip that reaches $42 but still..awesome prices!)
(5)
Liz O.
I am and infrequent reviewer on Yelp. But I liked this place a lot and when I saw the mixed reviews on here, felt obliged to correct the record. Came here for brunch and our food was so delicious everyone was all over each other's plates enjoying the variety of awesomeness. The grilled cheese was not your mother's sandwich. Excellent fresh sourdough bread with sharp cheddar, super fresh tomato and nice crispy bacon. Perfect. The creative and supersweet waffles and pancakes were quirkily delicious. And the Bloody Mary was perfect as well. Our server was polite, friendly, efficient and informative. As others have noted, the decor is great and the vibe is groovy. Outdoor tables are also available, and the prices are perfectly reasonable. Don't listen to the haters. Go to Automatic Slims.
(5)
Lauren L.
This was a great find! Came here because the Peabody was on a wait and saw a sign for $2.50 Bloody Mary's. Delicious rendezvous rub for the rim, so I was sold. Got the scallops and grits dish and the simplicity of their prep was not underwhelming in the least. Delicious!! Would definitely go back!!
(5)
Hoa K.
So we decided to try this place out based on a fellow yelper. We were seated upstairs, which I thought was awesome! The decor is more modern with a western twist. Loved the decor! I was really set on trying the fried chips with Fondu cheese...sadly, they didn't serve it for lunch....only for dinner. Disappointment. Our server recommended the inside out burger and crab cake eggs Benedict. I was not super impressed with my burger. It was greasier than I would have liked. The buns wee flipped inside out (I guess that's the way to describe it). I give them credit for being creative. Now, being from the gulf coast area, I know crab cake! The crab to bread ratio was like 1:2. Too much breading and not enough crab. Eggs were cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy. Not sure if the "wow" factor was there. For a brunch menu, the dishes were pretty pricey. I may or may not try this place again...I would love to try the Fondu chips if I make it back to Memphis.
(3)
Shameka O.
Sunday Brunch here won't necessarily fill you up, but it's priced well for the portions, tasty, and adorned with wonderful downtown class and swag! I simply love the look of Automatic Slim's. It's trendy yet classy and the menu is reflective of that as well. The $2.50 Mimosas and Bloody Mary's are an added perk to the consistently friendly and fast service. On my most recent trip, I ordered several Mimosas and the Automatic Omelet served with Potato Hash. The omelet was good, but I needed a little salt and pepper, actually a side of salsa might be the trick to take this omelet all the way. The potato hash is simply crispy fried cubed potatoes, which weren't anything special, but no need to complain about simplicity either.
(4)
Tai B.
The big draw for Sunday brunch here is $2.50 mimosas and bloody Mary's. Today the service was incredibly slow and sub par. I got one chocolate chip pancake, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. The hash browns were disgusting. They were oily and really salty. I must have had a bad bunch because someone else's tastes better than mine. I was glad I could order just one pancake, and it was ok my first time having a chocolate chip pancake. The scrambled eggs were cooked to perfection though. I tried my friends banana foster French toast and it was good, but a little sweet, as to be expected. The downsides....my friends scrambles eggs that can with her French toast were cold, as was someone else's potato hash, and the hot tea I ordered. All cold. Cold food and slow service (foods came out of the kitchen slow, not sure why since things were cold) makes this a 3 star place.
(3)
Susie B.
Worst. Food. From. Frozen. Sausage links and potatoes were clearly from a frozen bag and tasteless. Eggs were from a pre- bottled egg mix. Absolutely tasteless and no salt or pepper on the table to help the situation. $10 for approximately $2.50 worth of food. But for the $2.50 mimosas and Bloody Mary drinks, this place would be closed. This is a follow up visit to a lunch I had with the make your own salad. A poor value at $9 for few ingredients on a skimpy salad. I hope this place closes to make room for a decent venue. It's not keeping pace with competitors.
(1)
Zachary P.
Great brunch! Started off with some good mimosas and delicious Bloody Mary's. Ordered the Inside Out Patty Melt. It was an ok selection, but I ended having a taste of the Elvis pancakes.... WOW! Absolutely amazing! I would come here every Sunday for brunch!
(4)
Christin Y.
Awesome brunch. Spicy Bloody Mary. Mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Salmon benedict was flavorful and light. Service is quick and friendly. And they open at 9am for brunch, which is earlier than most downtown brunch places. A+
(5)
Chip D.
Alright - went back today (not my choice) with a group. Better service and I actually ate the food. Only one staff working, so it was very slow. Good preparation was sloppy, but tasty. They served drinks in plastic cups? So, slightly better, but nothing to write home about.
(2)
Jon M.
I love this place! I don't ever recall so far having a bad time at this restaurant. Let me start off by saying that I love a mix crowd of customers of different open sexual orientations and ethnicities which they are very open to. The servers were very attentive and engaged into the guests which I love a natural flow of things between servers and customers. I go on Mondays which they have $3 martinis and I love their variety of martinis they have with premium liquors for such a good price whether on the special Mondays or regular day. I just started eating their food and I love their Chicken Club sandwich. It was so good. I also tasted some of my friends' brunch items such as the hash browns and steak. It was delicious. They also have $2.50 Mimosas on Saturdays and Sunday's during brunch hours! Winning!!! I will continue to keep going here!
(5)
Caroline V.
We went right as they opened and found this to be a nice spot for brunch. We loved laid-back Sunday morning vibe and the look of this place in the daytime. The best-of-the-90s soundtrack (Hootie and the Blowfish and Stone Temple Pilots) made for a trip down memory lane. I ordered the green eggs and ham omelet sans ham, which came with breakfast potatoes. Husband had the crabcake eggs benedict, also with potatoes. The potatoes didn't look like anything special, but they were surprisingly delicious - crispy-not-greasy and nicely seasoned. My omelet was nice, and I bet if I ate ham, the ham would put it over the edge. As it was, I hoped to taste a bit more of the "greens." For $13, husband expected either a slightly larger crabcake or perhaps some big pieces of lump crabmeat in the crabcakes, but he liked the dish overall. I tasted the buttery hollandaise and gave it the stamp of approval (I am a hollandaise snob). Baby dined on what was probably the best fruit plate ($5) he's had since we relocated to Memphis six months ago. You can tell a lot about a restaurant by the quality of the fruit plate. Does the quantity and variety match up to the price? Is the fruit ripe without being past its prime? Is it nicely cut and tastefully presented? A good fruit plate means high standards, and you can bet that anything else coming out of the kitchen will match those high standards. This fruit plate had at least five different kinds of fresh (not mushy, and not oxidized) fruit on it, so that speaks to the quality here. $2.50 Bloody Marys and mimosas for brunch, which starts at 9 on Saturday and Sunday (one of the most accommodating breakfast/brunch schedules of any place downtown).
(3)
Brittney H.
I am a fan of Automatic Slim's. They have a great martini list! If you're eating dinner, I suggest the red fish entree! It's amazing! If you're there for Sunday brunch, I suggest getting a mimosa tower and ordering the shrimp and grits! :)
(4)
Erika B.
Great Bloody Mary, $2.50, with Rendezvous rub instead of a normal salted rim. I ordered the scallops and grits, as did my sister. We were impressed with the flavor combo of the cheesy grits asparagus and scallops. My other sister ordered the Elvis pancakes which were out of this world!! I highly recommend this establishment! Not to mention the staff and ambiance is great too!!
(5)
Kyle C.
Automatic Slim's is always a good choice for lunch, drinks, or a somewhat more casual, yet still classy, dinner. The food is always somewhere between good and great. Let me clarify...it's not just good, and it's definitely never great...it's better than average. I applaud Slim's for their somewhat eclectic menu options. However, they can often miss the mark by attempting to be too eclectic. The options, nonetheless, are always well-crafted and tasty. For lunch, I definitely recommend trying the gumbo. You would not necessarily expect it from a place like this, but it is always exceptional. The only drawback is that It is a bit pricey at $5 cup/$7 bowl. The decorations are interesting and eye-catching, part of the hold-over from Karen Carrier's ownership days. (For those not in the know, Karen Carrier is a Memphis chef and restauranteur, who also owns Beauty Shop, Bar DKDC, and Molly Fontaine Lounge). I digress. The wait staff and bartenders are always nice and courteous. Service can sometimes suffer just a bit when the place gets extremely busy, as can wait times for food from the kitchen. However, this is few and far between. Bottom line...this is a pretty solid choice for lunch or dinner, in addition to grabbing drinks before heading to another venue.
(4)
Fabian R.
Good food; bad service. The bartender didn't want to accept my DC ID, and said that she needed an ID from a US state, or my passport. Not only she didn't know how DC IDs look like, but she didn't know what the acronym DC means. "His ID has a DC address, but it says 'District of Columbia' on top," she told another employee, when referring to me. I explained her that that was what DC stood for, and even when she served me my alcoholic drink, she didn't accept that she didn't know what DC stood for. I guess she realized she was saying something stupid, but she couldn't admit it. At the end she just said I was wrong, that she "looked that up," but kept offering me alcoholic drinks (which I refused. My brunch was ruined). Anyways, food was good and cheap. Won't come back, though.
(2)
Craig W.
Chicken & Waffles, Mimosa Bong... Sounds like a good brunch to me. The Chicken & Waffles was a delicious meal with the tasty maple syrup. I ordered a side of bacon, which was very terrible. But other than that I enjoyed this place a lot. It was good for our group of 5. I could see it accommodating for larger groups. I enjoyed my time here and so did my friends. The decor is quality Memphis. I still have not had the full menu, but the brunch makes me want to try it.
(4)
Andy S.
Automatic Slim's is a great restaurant in downtown Memphis. I'm actually surprised that I have never reviewed it before. One of my friend's likes to come here for brunch. I love to come here for drinks. Their mimosas are only $2.50 during brunch. Their bloody mary's are also $2.50. They are pretty spicy, and I love the seasoned rim of the glass. My favorite thing here are the martinis. They are only $5 from 10am to 7pm, and they have TONS of flavors. My personal favorite is the key lime pie martini. It literally tastes just like a liquid key lime pie. The rim is a graham cracker crust. Their food is also good. I have never had something that I didn't like. In the past I have had their Monte Cristo sandwich, which is sinfully delicious. Their parmesan gravy on their sausage and biscuits is also good. You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu.
(4)
Heather B.
So disappointing! We saw the sign for brunch and $2.50 mimosas so we stopped in. The 1 star I give this place is for taste of their mimosas...fresh squeezed OJ is always a good thing. We were told it was going to be a 15-20 minute wait so we ran a quick errand and came back to sit at the bar until our table was ready. Let me preface this review by saying I worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years so I may be a little harder on places than most. So it's Sunday lunch time and it's super busy. It was obvious the employees were in the weeds and flustered, but you never should let the guests know this is the case. Let's start with the bartender. It took her 10 minutes to even look at us and acknowledge we were there. She said she would be with us in a minute as she's washing glasses right under us slamming them down. I'm also noticing she's giving them a one pass on the bartender washer thing and lipstick stains were still on the glasses as she was setting them down. I then hear her say to another employee "where the f*** is so and so?" Assuming it was someone who should have been there helping her. The whole time she was complaining to bar guests about how busy she was and how she kept running out of glasses to make drinks in. She finally asks us what we would like to drink very rudely and we said we wanted mimosas. 10 minutes later with no mimosas, we were seated at our table and our waitress finally got us these damn mimosas we had waited 20 minutes for. I ordered the crab cake Benedict. Such a delicious concept that many restaurants put on their brunch menus. However, the crab cakes were cold and the over poached eggs were not warm either. One of the crab cakes had more red and green peppers in it then crab. So sad...especially after the 45 minute wait to get the food. This place has a lot of potential...great ambiance and decor. Rude and terrible service will drive any place into the ground. I don't live in Memphis, but my advice is to skip this place unless you want a good mimosa.
(1)
Kat K.
I'm sorry to say this, but this was the worst restaurant meal I've had in ages. I should have suspected from the complete emptiness at peak lunchtime that things wouldn't be great, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I got a trio of grilled cheese sliders with house-made potato chips. Sounds un-screw-uppable, right? What I got were three mealy little buns with little to no discernible cheese. One had an avocado chunk that was not just not soft -- I couldn't get through it with a knife. Another had a heap of what seemed to be steamed onions and apples and little else. The third was...it was just OK. Some bacon and a whisper of cheese, but just kind of there. The chips verged on burnt. This wasn't just food that had no care to it -- it felt almost contemptuous. The server asked if everything was OK and I never, NEVER complain about food, but I just couldn't lie. I told her about the avocado, and she went back to the kitchen, took a look and came back to say that she agreed that they shouldn't have been served to anyone because they just weren't right. (I could have taken it off the bun, but honestly, there was really nothing else on the bun to eat!) I ate most of the least offensive one because I was extremely hungry, and left about 2/3 of what I'd been served on the plate because it was just terrible. This wasn't reflected in the bill at all, and the server -- to whom news of terrible food seemed par for the course -- just sorta shrugged "Sorry." Huge bummer for what could be a great place.
(1)
Carla G.
This place is expensive. It isn't huge in size, but it did have steady business. Tonight they had $5.00 Martinis and an extensive menu of Martinis. I do recommend the Mounds Martini and Hubby really has come to like the local Ghost River beer. Our server Kevin was attentive but not overly so. The server had the kitchen staff bring us our food. Hubby asks "where was our waiter in all this?" Hubby ordered the Salmon with Lobster and it came on a bed of Basmati Rice with Green Beans. I ordered the Crab Cake appetizer (3 crab cakes) and the Wedge Salad. Our food was good but when we got the bill, we had sticker shock. The portions were average in size, but not huge and not a great value for the money. For dessert Hubby had the French Silk Pie and I had the Vanilla Bean Cream Brulee. Again delicious. Our gastronomical experience would have gotten 4 except that when we went to pay the bill we found out that they would not take our Credit Card (they don't take Discover)...so we had to scramble for cash. Not a fun feeling especially when traveling,
(2)
Mandy H.
I love the atmosphere here. I've never eaten their food, so not the best person to ask in that regard, but their bar is fantastic. Their staff is friendly and they are willing to come up with any manner of drink you can dream up, ON TOP of the extensive drink list they have. The place has a classy drink after work kind of feel to me. You have the opportunity to catch up with friends in a place that has a great ambiance and an overall happy wait staff. I haven't had a truly bad experience here.
(4)
Christina P.
Went for a late lunch and build my own salad which was very well priced and deliciously fresh . I sat at the bar and the bartender was attentive but not overly chatty. Oh and did I mention it was a Friday and they had $5 martins? Good afternoon!
(4)
Whitney B.
I hate to write this review because we used to really love this place. We went here for drinks after a Redbirds game on Saturday night and decided to come back for Sunday Brunch after looking at the menu. The service wasn't great and the food was terrible. We waited probably 10 minutes for our first round of Bloody Marys. We ordered the chorizo and potato hash and the crab cakes benedict. The portion size of the hash was pretty ridiculous and it wasn't tasty at all. The crab cakes benedict is where they really screwed up. The crab cakes didn't have much flavor at all and they overcooked the poached eggs to the point that they were hardboiled eggs. I saw another guy who ordered them and had the same problem. The waitress had to of noticed the two balls of yolk left on the plate when she took them but she didn't say anything. We should have complained so they could learn how to properly poach an egg but given everything else that was wrong during our meal, we just decided to not come back.
(1)
Martie P.
This past weekend, friends and I went to Automatic Slims for brunch. I am a die-hard fan of Majestic brunch, solely because of the $15.00 pitcher of mimosas. However, Majestic was booked and they recommended Automatic Slims as another option. My first reaction was, "Automatic Slims has brunch?" Indeed, they do. I always forget about Automatic Slims and ask myself, why. It's such a great place - good atmosphere, good food, good drinks... The brunch menu doesn't have a vast number of options, but it does offer something for everyone. From banana's foster french toast, to eggs benedict t the best cheese grits this side of the Mason Dixon line. Since, I heart banana's foster, I tried the french toast. Oh my, it was like dessert! Although, they didn't have pitchers of mimosas, they did have $2.50 bloody mary and mimosa specials. Their coffee was complete crap, so don't even bother...unless you enjoy coffee flavored water. The coffee was my sole complaint.
(4)
Marcia M.
Loved the decor and vibe of Automatic Slim's. Although it was located amongst many touristy attractions, this trendy yet charming space stands out... and in a good way. The dirty martini was on point along with the kitchen staff who made a few tweaks to their flatbread to accommodate my vegan lifestyle. The bartender was snarky but in a fun way. I can appreciate someone who talks mad shizz to me while I'm getting my drink on. Prices were fair for the quality of product and environment. I dig it. Give this place a shout the next time you're near the Beale Street madness! It's located across the street from the Peabody hotel.
(4)
Pamela M.
The best martini happy hour deals in town! Happy hour is EVERYDAY from 11:00am-7:00pm and features over 30 specialty martinis for just $5.00!!! Automatic Slims' location is great for those who want to hang out downtown and get a jump start for the night--it is situated across the street from the historic Peabody hotel. I had the Butterfly martini (Stoli citros, white grape juice, fresh basil and mint) and the Pomegranate martini. The martinis were decent, especially for $5.00, but nothing to rave about. If you are looking for a liquid dessert, I would recommend the Mint Chocolate Chip martini--it was delicious and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth! Despite the fabulous martini deals, the drink selection and the nice, comfortable ambiance, the restaurant was devoid of customers. I wondered to myself, why are people missing out on these great martini deals??? After all, my girls and I were there during prime dinner time (5:30-7:00pm). It soon occurred to me (I presume) that it was the service at the bar. Our bartender was somewhat socially awkward. Instead of engaging us in conversation or asking us if we wanted more drinks, she stood about three feet away from us and stared at us and listened to our conversation for the majority of the hour and a half that we were there laughing every now and then at our 'girl talk'. Perhaps, it was more noticeable probably because only two other people were in the restaurant. Regardless, I would come back for happy hour for a martini or two to start the night off and then head somewhere livelier afterwards.
(3)
Steve J.
Good food and Mimosa specials. Small portions though. My side of bacon came with 2 little slices.
(3)
Paddy O.
Went on a Thursday night last week. I've eaten here before the concept changed. It smelled a little fishy though that went away right away and wasn't so crowded at 9pm when I got there but it did build as the night went on. Started with the spinach salad, soft cooked egg, warm bacon vinaigrette and roasted tomatoes The egg was cold and hard cooked, the tomato was just a refrigerated wedge not roasted, bacon was noticeably missing from dressing. You decide Next was the Duck Confit Patty Melt w/ spicy homemade ketchup Delicious, presentation was weak but as soon as I lifted the golden triangles of perfectly sweet caramelized onions and tender duck confit with aged white cheddar I was in heaven. I liked it better without the ketchup which they thankfully serve on the side in a ramekin. Filet Oscar, perfectly done. Large lumps of crab and a velvety sauce with a hint a tarragon Sesame crust hamachi tuna on basamati rice with roasted red pepper seaweed salad and dried cherry-soy reduction. Nice. Perfect execution on temperature. Rice was fluffy, sweet aromatic. Seaweed salad I could take or leave. It added color and texture but no real flavor. Service was good and attentive Didn't have dessert so I can't comment on how good the key lime pie they fly in is any good or not
(3)
Petros H.
Nice environment, friendly and upscale. Took my wife and 2kids(6&4) on wednesday at 8pm. The tuna and red fish were super fresh and very tasteful, The martinis excellent and they even had a kids menu. The risotto was a bit overcooked and the rice a little under... - really surprised that our waitress included her 20% on our party of 4. Not too sure why, did not bother to ask but I would have done better if it was left open..
(4)
Lauren S.
This brunch was almost hilariously bad. As in, we are laughing because we feel like we are on an episode of Punked. We came in after viewing the ducks in the Peabody across the street. Sign on the door says $2.50 mimosas and bloody marys. DONE. The menu sounded great. Good sauces, spices, chorizo hash- yum. However, within minutes we were greeted by a horribly socially awkward waiter and slow service. It wasn't til we stared receiving our meal that the real issues started. My scallops and grits came in the middle of a HUGE plate without the promised sauce, green beans, etc. Just two scallops plopped on a little pile of grits. Luckily I remembered what I ordered, so I brought this to the attention of the staff who said "Oh, that's definitely not done, is it?". A few other experiences: -Over-easy eggs were LEGITIMATELY raw, as in the 'whites' were still translucent. Hello, salmonella! -Potatoes / hash (which were the same thing, oddly) were just chopped dry potatoes (no spice, no onions, literally NOTHING on them). -Had to beg for ketchup and then wait about 15 min to get it. -Speaking of waiting, meals at every table seemed to come out at completely random times. The table next to us was IRATE because it took over an hour for every person to get served (plates came out about every 15 min). Listen, guys- eggs, bacon, and potatoes are EASY. You throw stuff together, fry it up, add some spice, call it a day. We just wanted something edible, and this was ACTUALLY not edible. I seriously suggest you look somewhere else for brunch. You have been informed ;)
(1)
Vicki V.
I met up with a friend here for Sunday Brunch. We were the first patrons at 10am. Being my first time there, I was instantly impressed by Automatic Slim's decor and ambiance. There was low lighting from the orange lanterns, the woven wall was interesting, and music was relaxing. Our waitress was really nice and kept our drinks refilled. The chef even came out and asked how the food was! And it was just brunch!! The food was great. I ordered eggs benedict with crawfish (SOO good but wish they offered more to my plate b/c I finished pretty quickly), bf ordered the count of montecristo sandwich(too much ham for me and lacking the jam!), friend ordered the bananas foster french toast (fluffy and delicious). I think each plate was around $10 so it was a little pricey for the portions you get. I guess you're paying for the service and the quality in taste though. You can definitely taste the freshness of the orange juice, our waitress said she squeezed them herself!! This place is good if you want to impress visitors or a date. But it is $$ for breakfast so I don't know about eating here THAT often.
(4)
Christopher C.
Once upon a time, Automatic Slims used to be one of the best places to go for lunch Downtown. I visited today for the first time in several years and much has changed, and not for the better. The first thing I noticed in perusing the lunch menu posted outside is that it appears to be severely pared down from what I remember. This should have been a warning sign to keep walking, but I foolishly ignored it. Inside, the place was completely empty (another warning sign disregarded), and classic rock from the 80s blasted over the sound system at a volume more suggestive of happy hour. I ordered the grilled chicken breast entree, which the menu described as being topped with shrimp, crawfish, onions, and Swiss, and served over dirty rice. What actually arrived at my table was nothing like that. Of the four promised toppings, I could detect only the cheese, and what Slim's calls "dirty rice" is merely white rice with a few bits of bell pepper mixed in. It didn't taste bad; just very, very bland, which is the exact opposite of what you want when ordering what appears to be a Cajun-inspired dish. Even if the meal had been appetizing, it was still a poor value for the money: $11 for maybe five ounces of chicken and a few grains of rice, a paucity of food only magnified by the giant plate on which it arrived. I can only conclude that Slim's heart is simply not in its lunch menu anymore. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, I would highly recommend instead proceeding around the corner to the Belle Diner, where generous portions of much tastier food can be had at far more reasonable prices. The only reason I'm giving Slim's two stars instead of one is the service, which was friendly and attentive without being overly hovering.
(2)
Maria C.
Enjoyed appetizers and cocktails during their generous happy hour. Huge list of novelty, desserty cocktails with fun names. Great soundtrack, comfortable atmosphere.
(4)
Thomas O.
the fiance and I went for a meal at 630 on a Saturday evening. service was good. the food was not great. she had a $9 salad that didn't even fill the plate with 5 tiny slivers each of apple and pear. her pork chops took quite a bit of effort to slice and chew. the potatoes on the side were not cooked. my fish was really nice, but the crawfish risotto underneath it was undercooked to the point that half of it was crunchy. it was a disappointment. I paid full price, $99, including a 20% tip, but I will not be back there for date night dinner. it is a shame as they have a great space downtown and a nice looking restaurant with what seems to be a great wait staff, the food just wasn't good and way over priced for what we received. hopefully, it was a bad night for the cooks or something. it was really bad food.
(1)
Gretchen B.
Two stars is a compromise. I wanted 3 but my husband wanted just a 1. His drink order came out wrong and the appetizer was cold and then they had the audacity to send out his mashed potatoes cold too. We should have recognized the universal signal of no one else in the restaurant and not gone in. However my beet and goat cheese salad was refreshing and then the redfish and risotto were actually prepared perfectly.
(2)
Mike S.
We ate the Bandannas Foster French Toast for a appetizer. WOW that the way to start the day ... Next was Eggs Benedict and it was to die for some of the best I have eaten. The Mimosa are made with fresh OJ .I would go back again and again for breakfast...
(4)
Mike K.
When I interviewed for the PhD program that brought me to Memphis this is where they took us to dinner. This place was supposed to help woo students to Memphis. It didn't not do that. My first time around the menu was lots of fun. I remember I had a steak that came with bacon wrapped fried bananas. It was great. I came back the next year as a student to woo new students. The menu had changed, which was good since I like things to stay fresh, and I had something equally as fun. I went back for the third time recently in the same scenario, with a new menu again. This time, the menu was less fun. Then I tried the food. This time, the food was less good. We can hope they are going through a dry spell, but the reality is that even when the menu was fun and food was good it was just that. The food was good. Why am I only eating at this place when I'm invited as part of a program interview? Why am I never choosing this place to go out to dinner myself? Because it isn't good enough for me to decide I want to eat here. Don't get me wrong, it's good enough to eat, but so is Subway, and I don't choose to eat there much either. This place's saving grace is the creativity in food, dessert, and cocktail. Let's hope that they can get the food taste back up to where it was before, which was good. Because right now, it's only good. Hmmmmmmmmmm, that's weird. Maybe with a new menu they could make me a bit more enthusiastic about eating here, which even when they had a creative menu I never was. This place is okay. There are tastier places, there are funner places, there are classier places. Feel like trying something new and safe, though? Give Automatic Slim's a go!
(3)
Misti M.
I am a lifetime Memphian and I have been hearing about Automatic Slims for years. I just took in the big jewelry expo at the convention center with a friend and decided to treat him to a nice lunch out somewhere in the downtown area. We picked Automatic Slims. I wish we had moved on. The decor is wonderful, and the service from Josh was very good, but the food SUCKED big time. My friend ordered the Automatic omelet, and it was just ok, but he HATED those little chopped up potatoes, and evidently so did a lot of people, because as we looked around the room, that is what people were leaving on their plates. My friend stopped eating the potatoes and asked for grits instead, and when that arrived , it was sorry as well, so he just left it. Now to my meal. I LOVE gumbo and was happy when I saw they had it. I was given a nice size bowl that was shallowly HALF FULL.. and a very very small Caesar salad. I asked for crackers, they had none, so I asked for some bread to go with it , and that never came. Quite a while later when the food was almost gone, Josh came up with some crackers "they found downstairs." I never thought bread at a restaurant was such a hard request. My gumbo was AWFUL. It tasted like it was laden with ground beef of all things, and was oily is the best way I can describe it. It was good and spicy, but that was perhaps the best thing about it.. There literally was not much in it. The tab came to right at 40.00 , and I have yet to understand what I was paying for. This place is a definite NO GO anymore for me.
(1)
Tanya T.
My review could simply read, "what Erica B. said." Seriously, she is so right. Slim's has the best grilled cheese, hands down, and I am picky about my grilled cheeses. They usually have a grilled cheese special of the day and change it up quite a bit. They don't even need to do that though- they had me at gouda. The homemade chips rock, and I am completely satisfied after a lunch break here. I've mostly been to Slim's for drinks though. When you walk off Union Avenue and into Automatic Slims on any given evening, you'll feel like you've left the city entirely and entered into a NY or LA bar. Or at least as close as Memphis can get to NY or LA. The ambiance is seriously upscale and chic- my friends and I used to say we were going to mingle with "the beautiful people" when we were headed out to Slim's. A nice, classy place for early evening drinks, this is the party before the party. Slip on some strappy heels and go crazy.
(4)
Heath R.
What a lucky find for us! The Bloody Mary's are among the best I've ever had and the Delta grind grits are addicting. We were served in a timely and friendly way even though the restaurant was getting slammed by Saturday brunch-goers. My only suggestion to them would be to plan ahead on the Bloody Mary garnishes when a bunch of Longhorns are coming to town as our second round didn't have the amazing crab stuffed olives, limes or pickled asparagus.
(4)
Hokie F.
Nice open space. Decent wine selection. Salad was fresh. Gnocchi with short ribs was velvety if a bit salty. Will come again.
(4)
s. m. j.
I've eaten at Automatic Slim's several times in the last five years (I'm not in Memphis that often), and I've always been very pleased with the entire experience: food, atmosphere and service. The first time I was here for a business lunch, and the experience was just as great and appropriate as it was when I came with my husband for a romantic dinner, or when we came with another couple. The first time I was here, I remember how delicious the French fries were. Also, we had a really personable and funny waiter who asked all of us (clients and our team) if we all worked together because we were having such a good time, our office must be a lot of fun! On our most recent outing, we asked if they would change the television station from the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game to the Wisconsin game for my husband, who was sick, and they did, immediately! We were pretty impressed with this, as the Oklahoma game is a big deal in the South. We were pretty pleased. Also, the food was great! We'd had heavy, southern friend food for lunch, so we came here seeking something healthier and lighter, and we were not disappointed. Two of us had the delicious fancy green salad, which includes goat cheese and other deliciousness. I couldn't decide between the duck confit sandwich and the flatbread, and the waitress told me to go with the flatbread. It was great! We shared a bottle of wine, and I had the creme brulee for dessert, which hit the spot. Automatic Slim's is interesting and "artsy" but not pretentious. In fact, it is cozy and welcoming. Last year, when we dined here, we had a lovely, romantic table upstairs. This year, there was a surprise party in that area of the restaurant, that everyone in the restaurant got to enjoy when the big moment came. This is a wonderful downtown Memphis dining experience. Don't miss it.
(4)
Lizzy S.
I went solely because there's a great discount for Orpheum ticket holders, and I am so glad that I went to Automatic Slim's. The food was amazing. I love cooking and cooking shows, and the food was so decadent that I felt like I was eating something from Gordon Ramsey's kitchen. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and I practically inhaled the risotto. My friend that went also raved about her crab cakes. I will definitely be going again and again. Besides the food, the whole place was very classy. I love how they were playing the grizzlies game by projecting it onto the window screens: it made it really subtle and elegant...something I didn't think a place could do with a sports game. I was so glad that I could enjoy conversation with my coworker without being disturbed by other patrons watching the game, which is hard to come by in Memphis. If you're looking for a sophisticated night out with great food, this is the place to go.
Service was excellent, but the food was pretty mediocre. Had a mushroom flatbread which was SOAKED in oil- it was actually kinda nasty. For main course had scallops with risotto- again greasy as all hell, and salty to boot. Probably would not end up going back here.
(2)
Lawrence M.
re-re-reviewing Slim's. Back to some of their bad habits. Pancakes were dull and flavorless (incredibly doughy). Still cleaner, but there's better in town. Try something else.
(2)
Allison D.
Thank you Yelp for finding this spot when we were visiting town; though today I see 3 star average and I swear just a few days ago Yelp gave it 3.5. Anyway, I thought the food was terrific. The decor was great - nice funky interior, even cool restrooms. I had the beet salad with goat cheese fritters which were amazing (!!!). The salad dressing was delicious but the fritters were the star, and oddly enough the beets were hidden under the greens and I only got a few small slices. Should rename it, but I still highly recommend. Others with me had the bloody mary (seemed happy, not my drink), the chocolate chip pancakes (I got to share - very yummy), and some kind of seafood eggs bennedict (okay). I also had the grilled oysters on halfshell which were good, but the goat cheese fritters and delicious salad dressing were what stuck in my mind. I definitely recommend checking this place out! I would go back in a second.
(4)
Sandra S.
We walked into this place for brunch/lunch. There was a group of five of us on visiting from Chicago. I don't know if that had anything to do with the utterly unwelcoming feeling and downright rude treatment we received from the staff. As we walked inside, a waitress walked around and past us without so much as a smile, hello or even acknowledgement of our existence. How polite. The place was empty with one table. The host gave us a blank look when we said "Hi, are you open?" He managed a "yeah" as a response. My friend asked to see a menu. First he exhaled and looked put out before he vaguely gestured at a pile of menus on a banquette. It took about 6 seconds of us looking over the menu while he stared at us with contempt before we decided to walk out of this joint. We didn't need to look over the menu of a place that treats customers so rudely and has a staff of jerks. Automatic Slim's can go take a long walk off a short dock straight into the Mississippi as far as I'm concerned.
(1)
Sara M.
First I would like to say I LOVE this place! Having lived in Memphis before I would love to have brunch on special occasions at "Slims"! I have been away from the city for 4 years and returned again and fell right back in love but not only me, but my husband did as well. Having never been there before he enjoyed the crabcake benedict and it was all over!! Daniel Bean in the kitchen has been fantastic for years and I love going in and knowing he is preparing the best food!!! Also Paul a gentleman server had recognized me at brunch from days before when I threw a very successful beginning to a bachelorette party with there amazing $5 martini happy hour! He was very professional and fun!! Thanks Automatic Slims for always being a staple when I visit Memphis and now my husbands as well!!!!
(5)
Jolynna M.
I love Jamaica, Mon! But since I can't there very often, I opt for Automatic Slim's Tonga Club instead. It's lively, Carribean-chic atmosphere and amazingly creative menu make this a downtown favorite of many locals and tourists alike. My favorites: 1. The Coconut Mango Shrimp. It's their specialty, available as an appetizer and served with an orange-dusted pico de gallo. 2. Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Ahi Tuna (Yes - pumpkin seed). This is a salad and it's sushi-grade tuna on a bed of oranges, dried cranberries &molasses-glazed pecans over greens, with a lemon vinaigrette. And it's delicious! A great summer time lunch option. 3. And last, but certainly not least the Huachinango (pronounced "watch-ee-nan-go"). It's whole crispy fish served with roasted bananas and escabeche of habañeros, white onions, scallions and tomatoes in cane vinegar. Are you hungry yet? If not, you will be as soon as you walk in the door and smell the amazing and exotic aromas floating from the kitchen. And while you wait on your meal, order a specialty drink, then sit back and enjoy.
(4)
Shannon L.
I have a girl crush on Karen Carrier and all of her wonderful edible creations. Automatic Slims is not different. They have great signature martinis and decadent food. The lunch menu is amazing, but I suggest trying it for dinner and enjoying the full-on ambiance of the place. My only qualm was that the fried green tomatoes came with no dipping sauce. They just came dry. The crab poboy and pork chop are both juicy and full of flavor though. Definitely worth a go!
(4)
Steve R.
Had lunch here and enjoyed the build your own salad and the flatbread. Nice fresh ingredients and good flavor combinations. The sandwiches and fries at the table next to us looked great also. The atmosphere was very comfortable. I would definitely come back here.
(4)
Rebecca S.
Food was good however a very poorly run restaurant. Kitchen was slow and staff didn't worked well together. Took a while to even get their drink specials. Might have helped of the bartender was inside the place instead of taking breaks outside. If you are looking for condiments or silverware you should bring your own.
(2)
Yoel S.
I usually don't write reviews but this place deserves better. We almost didn't go due to the low star rating but I guess each one has its own experience. Mine was the great. I can for brunch on Sunday. The atmosphere was great (loved the music. We had the scramble and French toast. Both were great. If in downtown Memphis, go try this place.
(4)
Benjamin D.
We came for Sunday brunch. The restaurant is beautiful, I'll give you that. Anyway, the place was relatively empty, so the servers were fairly attentive. I had the Green Eggs and Ham Omelette (a regular ham and cheese omelette turned green with tomatillo salsa.) It was good, but considering the high price, not so creative and not so special.
(3)
Simone M.
From the outside I knew I wanted to try this place but wasn't sure if I would have time since I was only in town for a few days...when my plans got cancelled I decided to explore and remembered this place. I wanted to sit outside (only two tables but I snagged the last one)...it's a good thing b/c that day the AC broke in the restaurant--this did not stop the steady stream of people coming in. My server (Lauren, I believe) was pleasant and easy going. She greeted me with a smile and shared it was ladie's night (Thursday) and all martinis were $5 for gals. In addition, the appetizers were half off from 5-7pm. I'd say skip the chicken flatbread (bland) but do the crabcakes instead (tasty). I also had the lemon lime martini which was good. The martini glasses were small but for the price you can't beat it. That evening they had a band that played old school cover songs (i.e. sitting on the dock of the bay). I had a great time and the food, drinks and customer service was awesome.
(5)
Ingrid C.
The real appeal of this place is the decor (if you've seen it, take this comment however you wish). Conceptually, the food was interesting, but I think the execution is poor. Nothing tasted really fresh, but I can tell there was a good effort attempt. They have these bacon-wrapped bananas... are they supposed to be plantains? I really didn't get it, but the bananas (I hate bananas to begin with) were probably the most disgusting thing I've ever tried to eat. Mushy. Extensive sweet martini list was a plus!
(2)
cynithis s.
Well I got there at 459 pm. And the male bartender was quick to ask what kind of drink I wanted. But you would think someone would ask what I want to eat right? 524 and no one asked. I got my bill for my drink, and I made the remark "since no one could ask what I wanted to eat". And no response. Mind you, someone who came in after me got a food order in. The drink was great, but being from out of state. I'll never eat here cause of the service.
(1)
Amy W.
This was literally my worst dining experience I've had in my life. I visited with a group of 8 about a year ago for a birthday dinner. We made reservations a week ahead of time which was not necessary because there were two other parties there, a totally of 12 patrons in the restaurant on a Saturday at 7:00pm. We waited for 2.75 hours for our food. We should've left but we got to drinking and got comfortable. They ran out of steak, chicken, and potatoes. They had to run to the grocery in the middle of our meal. Why we were not comped an appetizer or drinks is beyond me. Then I get my bank statement a week later and not only was the tipped changed (although I had left 20% against my better judgment) to reflect 30% and had been charged TWICE. Needless to say I got in touch with management. They did however refund both charges which corrected the overcharge and poor service/ experience but did not correct the integrity of the establishment in my memory. I will never go back. EVER! Awful. Terrible. And I don't even think the food that was available was even good. If I could give this a negative 5 stars I would.
(1)
Trista D.
I was a big fan of Automatic Slims when I lived in Memphis so, naturally, I make this a stop for brunch when I'm back in the area. The menu has changed some and the portions are smaller but still sufficient. The service is friendly and attentive, the music selection is great, and the decor is quirky and fun. I had the blackened salmon benedict and it was delicious. I was disappointed when I cut into my egg to find it hard boiled but our waitress came back with properly poached eggs for my friend (who ordered crab cakes benedict) and I in no time. The star of the table was another friend's pork chop and eggs, which was the daily special. It looked amazing and she said it tasted better. If you have enough people to make it worth it, order yourselves the mimosa bong. 11 mimosas for $34.00...but if not, don't fret because mimosas and bloody marys are only $2.50 each.
(4)
M R.
The Bloody Mary lived down to its price. A bad mix that tasted like arsenic. It was burning my tongue halfway through and not from the spice. Would rather pay for a decent drink. Food was acceptable, if pricey, but there are much better brunch places around here.
(2)
Shaina G.
Gotta love the $3 martinis on Mondays! And an entire HUGE list of fun creations to choose from! The food was good, but a little pricey. A nice location to start of the night and then browse through down town. We had drinks and apps and then walked to the Redbirds Game. Made for an awesome and affordable pre-game:) Don't miss their awesome brunch! Can't beat $2.50 mimosas and bloodies and $8 pancakes and waffles! Try the Slim' scramble and the chocolate chip pancakes! Yum!
(4)
Amelia B.
Review solely for brunch. Lured in by the promise of $2.50 bloody marys to cure a post-wedding hangover, Automatic Slims is a decent brunch option, but didn't make that much of an impression. I went with the Green Eggs and Ham, which was surprisingly light on the "green" part - boo. Dining partner was happy with the special, and really happy with the grits, though grits should never be rocket science. However, portions were pretty small, especially for the price point (and this is coming from a girl who is definitely NOT a volume eater). Server seemed like she hated her life the entire time. Perhaps she realized she was working just off of Beale Street.
(3)
Jonette W.
This place was ridiculously amazing. We had 2 appetizers & each a different entree, plus a dessert & I tried 3 different drinks throughout the night. Each one was stellar. No complaints. The flavors were spot on & everything was cooked perfectly. Our server was the bomb. Cool & sweet & attentive. Every time we go back to Memphis, we will be coming here. Try this place. You will not be disappointed. Loooooove.
(5)
Janine K.
Prior to my first trip to Memphis, my co worker told me repeatedly "go to the place with the martinis" eventually she got me the name of this martini place...Automatic Slim's. It was definitely on our trip agenda to visit this place during happy hour. We did so late afternoon on a Monday. The place was empty so we had our pick of where we wanted to sit. Apparently the martini special during happy hour, which is more like HOURS is $5, however on this particular night they were $3 after 5:00. How totally outrageous is that?!?!? And I mean, in a GOOD way!!! We got a few appetizers, which were the homemade chips with cheese and the buffalo chicken egg rolls and of course, martinis. As other reviews I posted, I really didn't pay attention to what my friends ordered but I had the jelly bean martini, and the strawberry truffle martini. Of course, I could have been there all deciding as they looked SO good on the menu. I also wanted to stay there all day and try every single one of them but we stopped at two :) As we were paying our bill I told my friends....Yep, I'm a fan of this place! It's cute, trendy, has cheap tasty martinis...and I'm all about all that!
(4)
Arpana W.
After a relatively long hiatus, I had brunch at Automatic Slims a few weeks ago. There were a good number of choices for food, and it was pretty tasty. I had the bananas foster french toast; and although it was good, it was a small portion and the bread was relatively thinly sliced for french toast. The atmosphere was fine, but the gigantic 100-oz Mimosa bongs were a bit out of place. Unique idea, but it just didn't seem to fit with the restaurant's style. Service was great and I will definitely come back to give the rest of the brunch menu a chance.
(3)
Cassie M.
It was hard to put a rating on this-- if you had asked me last night I would have said 5 stars. The bartender on Sunday night was fabulous (I wish I could remember her name!) But you could really tell that she was good at her craft, I addition to be personable. I mean really, one of the best martinis I have ever had. I only had a salad so I can't comment on the food, but man that martini! Anyway, she was the one who told me to come back today for $3 Martini Monday's. I was stoked-- and I had been telling all of my friends about it all day! Well wow, was I disappointed. I tried one martini that was pulpy like a smoothie and the flavor really wasn't great. I knew that I had loved the one the night before, so I went ahead and ordered that same variety next. I couldn't even drink it. The horrible flavor is still floating around my mouth. When I got a chunk of the egg white (which I typically really enjoy in cocktails due to the foamy texture they create) I almost gagged. I don't know if it was the particular bartender or if they just treat Martini Monday as an excuse to create sub-par drinks because people are paying less, but I was NOT impressed! I am so glad that my friends bailed on joining me because I would have been mortified to have been serving them this caliber of drink.
(4)
eric g.
Ate here tonight. First the good...service was great! Large party and those are tough. Server was fun, personable, and VERY attentive. BUT... I ordered the Hawaiian RibEye. It was the nastiest thing I have ever put in my mouth! Jar teriyaki sauce...yuk! Served luke warm with limp fries. Terrible meal. Outside the food it was a great experience but you go to a restaurant for food. I won't be back!
(1)
Mr. M.
This restaurant just ain't what it used to be. It was my favorite restaurant in town in the 90s. I don't know if it is under different ownership now or what, but we were very disappointed on our recent visit in September 2014 and we won't be back. Food was barely edible, way overpriced, and the portions were tiny. A Podunk impression of a hip, upscale bistro.
(2)
B W.
Fabulous martinis - both great selection & quality. Definitely recommend coming in for happy hour on one of the days when drinks & apps are discounted - the lobster flatbread and Mac & cheese were both delicious and a steal.
(4)
Sandra P.
Directly across from the Peabody Hotel. Friendly enough staff. Drinks are very sugary. Decor is interesting... I am not really sure what they are going for? The music was totally 90's California... which was kind of odd but being from LA it was ok to me. I had fried oysters and the crab stuffed flounder on a bed of risotto... YUM. The oysters were warm and cheese topping was well balanced. In my main dish the very creamy risotto was a nice base to the flounder which was delicate and light. My friend had the lamb ribs and they were fork tender although he said they were more sweet than savory. Service was friendly if not a bit over-attentive.
(4)
Angela P.
A fellow Yelper suggested Automatic Slim's happy hour to me. $5 martinis? Monday thru Friday? Oh hell yes, this ended up on my list! And I'm not even from Memphis. I drove here from Chicago and Slim's still made it to the final itinerary. I plan my vacations carefully, like Danny Tanner in that awful Full House episode where they go to Disney and eventually desert Danny when he gets all nit picky about his itinerary. Yes, I'm that picky, and I still got to Automatic Slim's. So what the hell are you waiting for? The martini list had at least 20 options to choose from. I had the bananas foster, which ended up being my favorite, and the strawberry truffle. Both were fantastic. I took a sip of the mojito martini (my 2nd favorite) and the key lime pie. There was way too much Rumchata in the key lime pie, but it was still a good drink. There was a folksy guitar duo playing in the front of the restaurant, and they helped set the tone of the night. There's a nice ambience in here with pretty tables and lighting, and it appeared to be THE spot for 2-3 ladies out after work for a bite or drinks. As I finished my last martini, I told my husband, "I want to take this home with me." "The martini?" he asked. "No, this BAR!" I whined.
(5)
Kimberly C.
Not impressed - the service was spot on but would have done better eating anywhere - McDonalds could have prepared a better salad than the one I ate at Automatic Slims. Romaine lettuce (a corner of a small bag) tomato (diced up, not more than 2 of the small grape tomatoes), grilled mushroom (at most 2 baby bells, diced), and parm cheese (tsp). $9 bucks - complete JOKE!! Maybe there are other things on this menu that are better but for those wanting salad - you will be extremely disappointed.
(1)
Tony D.
While in Memphis for work, my colleague and I were looking for a place to get some lunch. Instead of a respectable chain establishment like Hooter's, we were happy to stumble upon Slim's. The place was pretty quiet for lunch, but the food and service were great. My colleague loved his monte cristo sandwich and I enjoyed the fried green tomato BLT. The portion are not huge, but were just the right amount of food. We would give it another shot on our next trip to Memphis.
Stopped by on a whim while visiting and initially was skeptical as we would be the only people there. Let's say the menu did not disappoint. I had the flat iron steak which was perfectly prepared and on a bed on slightly spicy succotash which added excitement to the dish. Paired with a few creative martinis and a s'mores inspired dessert (which also was quite good) and I was set. Definitely worth the trip!
(5)
Kiki M.
In a nutshell: decent food, non-existent service, server with something up her butt. Several friends and I were in Memphis for the weekend, so we opted to go here for Sunday brunch. We were quickly seated upon arrival, a pleasant surprise considering we were a group of 7 and had anticipated waiting awhile. That was the last of the pleasant surprises for our visit. The food was solid...tasty but nothing mind blowing. I got the crab cakes benedict and added an order of bacon. The bacon came out as two small-ish slices on a ginormous plate. Some friends ordered the grits which admittedly were out of this world delicious. My boyfriend and I split an order of the red velvet pancakes, since we had never seen these on a menu and wanted to give them a try. They were pretty tasty, albeit really sweet. All in all, a solid quality meal. Based on the food alone, I would certainly go back. (Although I might skip the $3 meager portion of bacon next time around.) The service though...oh, where do I start. From the very beginning, our server just seemed like she was in the worst mood. She wasn't friendly at all, and she was extremely slow to get anything. For example, we ordered a mimosa bong. She brought out 3-4 glasses and said she'd be back with more glasses for the rest of our group. We waited so long that those of us who had gotten a glass were starting to fill up our second mimosa, and still no glasses for the remainder of our group. Since we were seated near the bar, we just asked the bartender for some additional glasses. (To her credit, the bartender was lovely! So friendly! Please, come be our server!) The food came out, and had none of the usual "extras" you would expect, like syrup, salt, pepper, etc. Again, this required more waiting as our server scowled, slunk back into the kitchen, and presumably checked and updated her facebook before coming back out with what we requested. It just felt like every request we had was such a burden to her. And granted, we had a lot of requests when our food came out, but come on. You're serving eggs, grits, potatoes, and pancakes. People usually want salt, pepper, butter, ketchup, and syrup with these things! And while the service was slow, I also don't understand why Automatic Slim's doesn't just make it a little easier on their wait staff by already having some of this stuff out on the table. You can tell by the decor of Slim's that they're going for a certain "look", but when every other table in your restaurant has a giant 3 foot mimosa bong sitting on it, just swallow your hipster pride and put some damn salt and pepper shakers out on the table, okay? So, like I said, good food, bad service. I hope our server was able to remove whatever was firmly lodged up her arse.
(2)
Jeremy L.
It was just okay for brunch. I did like the service and atmosphere. The food was just okay. I got the biscuits and gravy and eggs. Wouldn't get that again. it was almost like a smear of butter on it vs. gravy. I will say, the biscuit was pretty yummy.
(3)
Jennifer V.
Very nice place to eat. Great food, reasonable prices, great location and great service.
(5)
Anastacia S.
This is a review for their brunch, I've never been in the evening but for brunch Automatic Slim's ROCKS! They serve a double mimosa in a large red wine glass - CHECK! Mimosa comes with your brunch order - CHECK! The food is GOOD - CHECK! It has an upscale feel making it perfect to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or bachlorette party, but it isn't TOO upscale so you don't feel bad having a Sunday Funday here. Reservations for brunch strongly recommended, it does get busy especially later in the afternoon on the weekends.
(4)
H. W.
New place with good food, creative drinks/martini's and great music! Will def. be back during my next trip to Memphis.
(4)
Hugh W.
We had a great experience at Slim's. Our waitress Alex was always one step ahead of us. The food, atmosphere and service was top notch. Definitely coming back with some friends so we can try the 100oz mimosa bong!
(4)
Susan T.
The food is bland; the service slow and servers disinterested. Cheesy grits were good, biscuits doughy, gravy portion miniscule. A bartender, a hostess, and four waitresses for six tables made the service especially hard to bear.
(2)
Erica B.
Automatic Slim's is one of the only places downtown- hell, it might be the only place downtown- that isn't packed to the gills with drunken fools on Friday and Saturday nights. Mind boggling because they are open late and have some kick ass martinis. This was a huge draw for a friend and I last Saturday night as we wanted to be able to hold a conversation, but still wanted a drink on a weekend downtown. If you're looking for that place- this is it. I never could wrap my head around the random low reviews of this spot. I used to come here pretty regularly when I worked in the Peabody Hotel. The food was always spot on and the drinks even better. It's got the perfect mixture of upscale and dive bar in that it is a really swank interior space, but it has the homey feel of a dive bar. The bartenders here are super friendly and great to converse with. The food this particular evening was a great experience. I had the crab cakes- delicious. Possibly the best I've had yet in Memphis. My friend is a vegan and they changed a menu item to accommodate her needs, no questions asked. Pretty stellar. My key lime pie martini was killer. If you go, ask for Cody (also find out if his name is spelled with a 'c' or a 'k' so I can properly address him!) he'll take good care of you.
(4)
April L.
Came here only for bloody Mary's and Mimosas. They were both delicious. Fresh squeezed OJ for the mimosas, and 2.50 house bloody Mary's that were awesome. The girls behind the bar were friendly and personable.
(4)
Molly H.
The food here was delicious. The tuna was my favorite, the house made chips are also incredible! The only problem I have is with the service... or rather a single server last night, Bailey. We were there for martini night ($3 martinis on Monday) and had ordered food as well, the bill was well over $100. One of my co-workers ordered a martini that had a bright pink lipstick mark on the glass. When we brought this to our waitresses attention she seemed annoyed that we would even ask for a new glass. When she returned with the martini in a new glass she didn't apologize. When we ordered our last drink, one of the martinis tasted very watered down and we asked for another. She was rude when she said since it's only $3 they don't take them off of our bill. We asked for another one then and she rolled her eyes and picked up the watered down martini and took it away. She brought back another one and placed it on our table unhappily. When we finally got the check we saw she had automatically given herself a 20% tip! There were only 4 of us at the table and we were all on one bill, when we asked why she said sometimes the computer automatically tips them but she could get her manager if it was a problem... we didn't but I do wish we did. For going there and spending that kind of money, you would think that the staff would be a little friendlier to the tables... but I guess no need if you'll get a 20% tip whether you're a good server or not.
(3)
Clark P.
Haven't loved automatic slim's in the past but brunch today was my FAVORITE in a long time. The chef special was chicken biscuits with raspberry jam. So flipping good! Don't miss out.
(5)
Kendall S.
Sub-par food, sub-par service at best. My husband and I went for brunch; our very first brunch experience since moving to Memphis at that, and what a major disappointment. My husband ordered a scramble and the portion size filled maybe one third of the plate. It didn't come with anything with it, either and it took him about four bites to eat. No lie. I had to ask twice for syrup with my waffle, then they didn't have ramekins to bring it out, so they awkwardly brought me the bottle from the kitchen, watched me pour a little and took it back. I asked for crispy bacon, the waiter repeated it back to me, and when they brought our food out, it was completely chewy and limp. I never got the salt and pepper I asked for --- They don't have that on the table or anything else for that matter (No napkins, sweet-n-low, etc.) This would make sense if it was a formal place, but it's not. To top it all off, they didn't have to-go lids for drinks. It was just one thing after another. The food's taste did not make up for any of the other downfalls. It was bland and nothing special for paying $35 for a tiny breakfast. We will never go back.
(2)
Michelle S.
It's ok. The risotto was just cooked rice. It was ok. Not sure if this is just food for Memphis or this is Memphis food. Bonus is..the atmosphere is great.
(2)
Caitlin M.
I rarely write a bad review, but I had brunch here today and have only 1 good thing to say: $2.50 mimosas. I had the crab cakes benedict and the only thing on the plate that had any flavor was the crab cake. The eggs were bad, the potatoes were bad, the hollandaise was bad. And there wasn't any salt on the table to improve any of it. Also, my friend got a side of bacon. $3 for 2 small pieces. I won't be back.
(1)
Colleen G.
If I could, I'd give it 3.5 stars. Automatic Slim's was one of those places I passed by a zillion times and never ate there. Finally, I decided to try it out a few weeks ago. I will give credit where it is due: happy hour is where it's at here. They have a bunch of martinis, and during happy hour they are $5. They also have discounted appetizers. The martinis are good. I had a pomegranate and a Caribbean, both were delicious. Our dinner? For what we paid, I don't feel like we got a great deal out of it. The coconut shrimp appetizer is a joke. Two shrimp. Really, that's all. I had serious remorse after I saw other appetizers go by. I had the scallops for dinner, and they were good, although I don't think they were cleaned very well, since there was a nasty, gritty feeling as I ate them. It discouraged me from finishing my meal, which was a disappointment. The steak and eggs were a small portion. Nothing special, according to my husband. Dessert: okay. Again, nothing special. Our server only told us two dessert options, and after we ordered both, we overheard another server telling her table about more desserts... Not fair! I would have ordered creme brulee, if I knew they had it. Overall, I think for dinner, it is a bit overpriced. I like the place, it's got a cool vibe about it. But for me, I think happy hour is about where I'll stop.
(3)
SouthernFoodie M.
We were reluctant to try it based on reviews. However, I'd definitely go back! The $5 martinis were small... But tasty!! We enjoyed. :) the chips and fondue was so darn good. I had shrimp and grits. The dish was not served as hot, and the shrimp were a little over cooked. Still delish!! We also were able to get a 20% discount after eating because they give a post Orpheum discount. Great time!
(4)
Alex E.
I go there after work with coworkers for a drink and end up trying their appetizers. EVERYTHING TASTES GREAT. Especially the crab cakes. Become a regular and you might just get a deal as well
(5)
Charles C.
Cool atmosphere--definitely a good place to stop for drinks anytime day or night. And the location is great considering it's located right in the middle of downtown. As for the food, it consistently falls in the good not great category. Haven't been for dinner in a while but hit brunch somewhat regularly. We're always satisfied with the meals, but never walk away wowed. I can't put my finger on it, but anytime we walk in and look at the menu, we get excited at the possibilities, then remind ourselves not to let expectations get too far out front. We did have an opportunity to see the mimosa bong today at another table. Quite impressive and adds to the frivolity of Sunday brunch, which is a good thing in downtown Memphis. Staff is friendly and helpful. Side note--men's restroom today wasn't looking too clean. May seem like a tough thing to ding a restaurant on, but it does make me wonder about cleanliness elsewhere when a restaurant can't keep the bathrooms clean, especially in a place that's supposed to be above the median fare. Bottom line, we consider this a solid not spectacular brunch go to place downtown for food when we can't really decide on anything else. It has, however, fallen off the "have to go" rotation if/when friends and family come to town. It used to be a definite dinner and drinks or brunch and drinks jump off point. Now, we're more inclined to stop in for a cocktail but skip the food. Is it ingredients or kitchen talent? Don't know, but our meals always seem stuck in third gear.
(3)
toni G.
Saw the brunch menu and thought we would try it out. Went in looking for suggestions as to what to try. They are known for their 2.50 mimosas and bloody Mary's. Mimosa was very good. Overheard another waitress telling another table about the special Bloody Mary they had instead of the regular 2.50 special. Only when asked did our waitress tell us about it. It was just ok....not spicy enough. Went with the waitress suggestion of the bananas foster French toast. Also ordered the scrambled eggs, potato hash, and biscuits and gravy. We also ordered the red velvet pancakes just to try something different. The hash was just cut up potatoes with some onions. but it was good. The biscuits and gravy were very good but not enough gravy at all. The whole plate was luke warm at best. Sent that back and when it came out a little hotter it was much better. French toast was luke warm as well. Good, but not enough sauce. Red velvet pancakes were good, but very dry as there was not enough topping on them either.Waitress was not very friendly, but other waitresses were, so maybe it was just an off day. Prices were ok, but not for luke warm food. Would try someplace new next time.
(3)
Tara B.
Grilled cheese sampler was delightful. Everyone enjoyed their meals and best of all our waitress was so incredibly friendly and nice! I hear the martinis are cheap during happy hour- I may have to check it out next time I'm in town.
(4)
Tyron H.
This was a great restaurant. The service was nice and the food was great. I got the chicken and waffles with a side of the cinnamon roll cream. Simply AMAZING!!
(4)
Ken R.
Earlier, I mentioned that a jerk-sauced cheeseburger was the first plate of food that I ate at Automatic Slim's. As much as I wanted to have it again, it is no longer on the menu. In its place is the Slim's Burger, loaded with smoked Gouda, caramelized onions (called "onion jam" on the menu), roasted tomatoes and bacon within a sourdough bun. The onions are dominant in the cheeseburger, contributing to a tangy aroma. The fresh sourdough bun is soft and meshes well with everything else in the cheeseburger. On the day that I got it, the restaurant cooked the burger the way I wanted (medium rare) that was indicative in appearance and taste. The end result was something almost as good as its predecessor. The burger comes with Automatic Slim's potato chips that were good enough to support the cheeseburger despite being a little overcooked for my taste. Overall, the Slim's Burger (available only from the lunch menu) is a really good cheeseburger that can hold its own with the best in Memphis. To read the entire review, go to kensfoodfind.com/2013/08…
(4)
Amanda N.
This place was amazing!!! I've been to Memphis 5 times and I am disappointed I didn't find it sooner. Food was great, bloody Mary's were fantastic and service was super friendly! I will be coming back next time I am in the area! Great find!
(5)
Cassie M.
We stumbled in after a long day of being touristy and doing a lot of walking around downtown Memphis. I wanted to sit and enjoy a drink and I came to the right place. We fancied ourselves in the front window on some comfy couches and it just so happened to be happy hour. $5 martini's and quite a list to choose from. Something I had never had was alcohol infused whipped cream. It was more potent than an actual shot! The strawberry shortcake had a graham cracker rimmed glass. Also enjoyed a creamcicle, a german chocolate cake and chocolate martini's.
(4)
Laura D.
We stopped by this restaurant after looking at their menu posted outside. I was excited when we came in, the decor was great. The excitement ended there. Service was lacking, in his defense I will chalk it up to being "green" and poorly trained.My martini was well executed, but took about 15 min to get as I was told I would have to wait due to a party upstairs being taken care of. The place was relatively empty so I was left wondering how long it would have taken had they actually been busy. Then there is the food. We were curious if the chef even tastes anything, no seasoning whatsoever.My husband had the caprese salad to start, not good. He pointed out, if it is a bad year for fresh tomatoes, then don't put it on the menu.My beet salad was just okay. His lamb, while cooked well, offered very little meat. The risotto was a joke, obviously precooked with the consistency of badly executed oatmeal, also covered (very covered) with "tobacco onions" (?) that had no flavor whatsoever. My ribeye was just so so, I didn't even really bother with the bland veggies. For $130 for dinner for two it was disappointing to say the least. Perhaps if the service and food got as much attention as the decor there would be a good improvement. Fortunately we had a dinner the following night at Erling Jensens that more than made up for everything. We will go back there for sure on our next visit. Automatic Slims, no way.
(1)
Dominique N.
Not sure why other reviews are so negative, but this place came highly recommended and didn't disappoint! Visited with a group of 4 girlfriends and we had an odd assortment of food - some of us hadn't had dinner and so tried their appetizers / light salads. Their seared tuna salad, while a little pricey at $12, was fantastic. So fresh and lots of tuna on top. While I didn't try the drinks, my friends put down several martinis and wine glasses and seemed to like them. (Longest martini menu I've ever seen) But the best part was their dessert! We all shared this fantastic confection that had chocolate ganache, peanut butter, marshmallow and whipped cream. It sounded awesome and tasted even better! I've never had anything else like it - you gotta go just for this!
(4)
Becca S.
Fabulous for Sunday brunch! I wish we hadn't been driving out that morning or I'd have had a $2.50 bloody mary AND a mimosa. My breakfast was delicious though. I had the Slim's Scramble which had chorizo and their homemade potato hash. We were there around 11 on Sunday and it was nearly empty, but I'm not sure why. The service was quick and the food was piping hot. Plus there were loads of lounge areas around if you wanted to stay and sip your coffee or a drink after you ate.
(4)
Jenny D.
I'm not sure what is up with the bad reviews. We had a great meal, excellent martinis, attentive service, in a modern, attractive restaurant. Not sure what else you could ask for!
(5)
Mike J.
Been there twice now in the last two weeks. First was a late Saturday afternoon lunch with Poopsie. We both thought it was great. I had a soup which was really good. Service was good and it was reasonably priced. Next time was late Saturday night after the music fest. Surprised to find nobody in there, but they still had their late night menu. This time I was with Zippy and a couple of friends. Zippy and I each had a soup and split a chicken sandwich. Nothing fancy, but again real good. Our friends split a tenderloin and dumpling appetizers. They really enjoyed it and especially raved about the steak. Again great service - considering we were the only ones there, it was expected I guess. J-9 was really impressed with the martini menu - about 4 times the size of the food menu. She had a snickers martini and liked it. One thing that stands out a bit is the decor. It was trendy once and probably still could be, but there are many little things kind of worn out that need updating. Anyway, it worked out good for us both times.
(4)
Keith T.
Recently had brunch at Automatic Slims before a U of M basketball game. Picked this restaurant for the $2.50 mimosas which were great. Service was good. The brunch menu looked and the food for the most part was well thought out but everything was served cold! I had the crawfish eggs benedict which would have been spectactular had the entire dish not been cold. My wife had the bananas french toast and this dish was also cold. There is potential for a really good experience but they just need to watch the quality of the food they are serving. Probably will not go back as there are other options considering the food cost.
(2)
Steven K.
I'll ditto all the positive reviews below and am dumbfounded by the negs. Kudos to the wine list: go for the Argentinian Malbec! We were a party of five and everyone was very happy with all the selections. Check the website above for menu details. I'm sure there is something you'll like.
(4)
Erin H.
I was here for lunch with a big group of people, and we were the only people there. I ordered a salad with avocado and beef tenderloin. Unfortunately the avocado was brown and overripe, and I can't believe I'm saying this, the tenderloin was chewy and had no taste. I didn't even finish it. I guess the burger would be a better bet, but I am wary of places that can't make a nice salad and mess up tenderloin. I don't know if I'll be going back.
(2)
Alma E.
Came across this place after checking into our hotel, we were sold on the $5 "martini" happy hour menu. The decor of the place is pretty sweet. The martini menu was extensive, I would recommend the Tennessee martini. The service was good, a little slow by my local California standards but also inexpensive by the same standards. I ordered the mushroom flat bread and a Caesar salad, both were satisfying. I was happy that my first meal in Memphis was so vegetarian friendly. I would come back here again, only if I ever find myself in town again.
(3)
Kathleen H.
I really like this place. They have a well stocked bar, a decent wine selection and a diverse menu with lots of options. It's probably on the trendy side, but I found it to be a comfortable place to dine solo on a weekday evening. The service was great- prompt but not rushed. My only complaint is the portion size for the mains. They are huge! I know this restaurant is probably priced a bit high for Memphis, but I would have been perfectly happy paying the same price for my entree if it had 25% less food. If you aren't very hungry, go with two starters or ask the waiter about the portions.
(4)
Husni E.
Overpriced...food was too greasy and their chips were SOAKED in oil.
(1)
Jessica M.
Found this place by googling restaurants in Memphis & we were super pleased with the food, atmosphere & service! It's a trendy little spot in down town Memphis, very different from all the fast food stuff around there. They have a great happy hour & brunch menu, great to stop in for just a cocktail even. I got the banana foster French toast, delish! And my friend has a ton of food allergies, she got the burger & they were extremely accommodating to all of her needs! Will def go back when we visit again!
(3)
Buffy V.
Worst meal Ive had in a long time. I use to eat here in the 90's and remember it being much better. The black bean soup had under cooked beans in it with a gross blob of "pace" on top. The salad was drenched in dressing and unedible! The seared tuna entre was frozen tuna with NO taste. It was coated in sesame seeds with a white drizzel of something? A poor TGI Fridays meal at best! I can't belive they have the nerve to charge $24 for frozen tuna!!! Horrible!!!!
(1)
Ethan B.
We sat at the bar and drank martinis for about an hour and a half on a Monday night last week. We didn't eat so we can't speak to the food, but the martinis were expertly prepared, and the bartender was attentive without being overbearing. We grabbed a couple of $5 happy hour martinis each before heading off to dinner. A good time.
(4)
N. P.
I like the look of this place -- I'm a sucker for packaging. And the martini menu is insane -- literally flavor that you can think of. I like the Butterfinger, personally. The food is above-average. Really tasty -- kind of an interesting menu -- there's a smattering of Asian, some sort of Caribbean fusion. I enjoy the char-grilled Thai beef salad. Super-tasty, with a lovely combination of green herbs like cilantro and mint with lime zest.
(4)
Jake F.
Four stars because I have only eaten the Sunday Brunch. Open faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten downtown. I've been back several times since my first visit but can't seem to make myself order anything else. they also have tasty bloody mary's for $2.50 at brunch I don't know about some of the less positive reviews, as I have only eaten there during Brunch, and it was not busy. However, it should have been busy... Friendly staff Great food
(4)
Eder C.
Boring food and bad service
(2)
Leah A.
seriously, i'm on vacation and i'm writing a yelp review. because i feel it is that necessary. the food, thank heaven, was fantastic. really excellent. everyone at the table loved their food. here are the top 5 reasons this joint is getting low-starred (there are WAY MORE than 5 reasons): 1. the server was awful. plain awful. when you screw up, just admit it. he couldn't have known he was waiting on a table of all industry folks, but come on....i've heard the 'the kitchen screwed up the tickets' line all too often from my own staff--i know you're lying. 2. owner stopped by--we're on vacation, we ask her for a joint for blues, and she tries to send us to the bar she owns down the street--that doesn't have live music. bad form. 3. when we asked for the check, the server couldn't get it to us fast enough. it was the only thing he did quickly. 4. when the check was brought, we were charged for apps that arrived 55 minutes after we ordered them and AFTER our entrees had been dropped at the table. i told him i absolutely was not going to pay for apps that arrived after my meal. 5. i shouldn't have a bad dining experience on my birthday weekend. and i did. the food was fantastic. this place would be awful if it wasn't for the delicious food. but do yourself a favor and make sure joe is your server when you go....i tipped him on the way out, he deserved it.
(2)
D W.
Named for a Beale Street bluesman, this trendy bar / restaurant is located across from the Peabody downtown Memphis. Slims is a trendy, higher priced restaurant centered around a bar with unique (and very good) drink options and some great appetizers. WIth all of the barbeque options, Automatic Slims is a nice change. Tables and banquettes downstairs provide a good view of the long bar, where locals line up to meet and drink the martinis. The food is a combination of Caribbean and Southwestern, with some good options such as coconut mango shrimp, For sides, the tobacco onion rings arent bad and the wedge salad is good (see photo). I would agree with the mixed reviews - this place is like a roller coaster with service and entrees. Some times you will rave - others...well you will write a review like Amy C. Go for the appetizers and a great drink at one of the booths or the bar - then walk down the street to one of a number of consistently good restaurants.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Tayler E.
Automatic Slim's gets bonus points for their cool atmosphere and wide variety of drinks. This is definitely a place to come for drinks rather than food, although I've heard great things about their brunch. I've always had outstanding service here. I always sit at the bar and the bartenders are fun to talk to and good at their jobs. The food here is good - it wouldn't be my first dining choice for downtown, though. I will say that I did enjoy my bacon wrapped scallops and would get them again!
(4)Jennifer L.
My review is based solely on $3 Martini Monday. This makes for a great happy hour if you work Downtown or are staying downtown. The martini selection is extensive. I had three martinis at this visit and enjoyed them all. The bubble bath is my go to. I also had a Georgia peach and flirtini. This is a mainstay on my happy hour rotation. The man sitting next to me the bar saw me writing this review and wanted me to tell you he enjoyed the food. He ordered the chicken piccata.
(4)Christianne B.
Choose Automatic Slims for Sunday brunch today. Service was great and they had $2.50 mimosas on special! That's a deal that you can't beat. I loved the decor in the restaurant, modern and yet vintage also. My only complain was the lack of flavor in the food. The menu had a variety of interesting options and I chose the frittata special while my boyfriend tried the chicken and waffles. Both of our plates looked great, but lacked flavor. It was not bad tasting, just not exciting. I'll likely be back to give it another go, they have great drink specials throughout the week!
(4)Senwhaa L.
Food was great....until it came back up an hour after I had it. I had the redfish and risotto while my friend had the tuna. We each had a martini (she had a Washington a Apple and I had the Bubble Bath) and split the lobster tots. We thought the food was fine until towards the end, then everything starts going downhill. My friend notices a dead fly in her water. We tell the waitress and all she could do was laugh then tell us she will bring us more water and apologize for not having ice (apologizing for having NO ice but NOT for the fly). We notice flies in the restroom then later in the night, I get sick. Would not recommend this place nor would I return.
(1)Nichole B.
Martini Monday is awesome. ALL martinis are $3 and the food is good. For a snack the potato crisps with cheese fondue are great.
(4)Deanna W.
MIMOSA BONG! The mimosa gets me everytime for brunch, and I don't hate it. First off, I have been here with two big parties, and the staff was incredible both times. One of the waiters even remembered me from months back (probably cause I drink a lot of water). I know parties can be a hassle, but they catered to us so well both times! Y'all, you need to come here for brunch. The mimosa bong is a definite plus, but I have never tried so many entrees and liked all of them. I can't even tell you what my favorite is. I am still discovering :)! Also if you're a salmon love like me, please please please give theirs a try. One of the best I have ever had. I don't know if its the coconut risotto, or the haricot verts, but their Cedar Plank Creole Salmon really hit the spot. They're at a great location as well, and the restaurant itself is pretty cool!
(4)Jennifer R.
Yes. Yes. Yes is all I can say about their brunch! I can't believe I have not gone to their brunch sooner!! $2.50 Blood Mary and Mimosas?!?!?!?!!!!! $8 waffle/pancakes?!?!?! A mimosa bong?!?! Oh My....! I ordered so much food because it all looked amazing! I ordered the chocolate chip pancakes but instead of the orange butter that came with it, I ordered the chocolate syrup. I also ordered the Slim Scramble cause we were brunching for 3 hours and got hungry again!! (fatty) Needless to say I found a new favorite brunch spot!!!
(4)Michelle F.
Great food. Great atmosphere.
(3)Joy C.
I went her for Memphis Dining Week on 11/19/14. I was excited about the event menu and could not wait!!! My husband and I arrived to very nice hostesses and escorted us to our seat. 1st course comes, great salad with half off wine!! 2nd course, the moment we been waiting for...blah, blah and blah!! The portions should have been on the kids menu. It's like they split a full portion, which is not that big to begin with, and served us the split halves!! Disappointed in the whole ordeal. Taste was ok, desert was the best part, oreo cheesecake!!.... MMMMMMMMM!!!! We talked about returning on a regular night but was reminded of the small portions!! First impressions do matter in human form and food :/
(2)Elle S.
We had a party of 32 people. I was worried about all the bad reviews. Out experience was good specially for 32 people. There was some issue with table seating but they fixed it no problem. Food was great: Mac n cheese app was delicious Lobster flatbread was ok Wedge salad was good, probably not the nicest blue cheese used but I ate all of it sooo i can't complain Red fish was good... Very spicy, white sauce was very good, toned down the spicy Shrimp and grits was good... Also spicy. Whatever brown sauce they used was really good. Scallops were good as well. Someone had the tenderloin and they said it was good. The martinis we're ok. But I only had two drinks so I can't judge that well. Servers were great, I even tipped on top of the 20% automatic gratuity because taking of 32 people is not always that easy and it went smoothly and the servers were nice which is a biggie w me.
(5)Ben W.
$3 Martini Mondays. Need I say more?
(5)Marc B.
Delicious!! Sat at the bar during Sunday brunch and started w mimosa and a fantastic Bloody Mary. Then we had chicken and waffles and the 'automatically you way' where you select your own combo. Biscuits and gravy, grits and eggs and they were all so perfectly seasoned and cooked, such a delicious taste of the south. Also very festive atmosphere with great music playing, friendly attentive staff chatty locals. Highly recommended it!!
(5)John S.
I've been here twice, it's likely that I will not return. Although the décor is upscale and much more modern than most places in Memphis, I've found that the service is at the opposite end of the spectrum. My first visit was simply for drinks, which went well except for when I learned that all of my and my friends drinks were added to someone elses tab and then they couldn't locate my credit card after only a brief stay and very few people in the place. The second visit was today for lunch with two coworkers. After what seemed like an eternity we were able to place our orders. There were only a few occupied tables and none of them had food on the tables. The interactions with the waitress were awkward to say the least. The hostess would repeatedly walk up behind me and place her face within 6" of mine asking me if I needed anything. Well, yes...I wanted her to back up about a foot or so then take my order. That would have been a great start. Then occasionally she would come back and randomly reply to points in the private discussion we were having at our table. I'd guess that in the course of a 1 hour meal we endured 15-20 interactions with the hostess and or waitress, at least 10 of which were quite odd. So...as we were literally about to stand up to go somewhere else we were finally able to place our orders. I had the Inside Out Patty Melt which was absolutely delicious however it was on par with the size of a slider, incredibly greasy and sticky due to the pepper jelly. One friend ordered the BLT which basically appeared to be a lettuce sandwich, and the other ordered a custom salad which they got wrong. We all were quite disappointed here...especially the person who insisted that we try this place out instead of Tamp and Tap. Her lunch spot nomination rights have been temporarily revoked.
(2)Carlos B.
We went here for downtown dining week. Entrees only 20 bucks and drink specials I thought the lobster tater tots we're great made it worth getting out of the house on a rainy night. My girlfriend didn't like them she said they tasted like a fried ball of something. I wanted the grouper but my girlfriend wanted me to have the beef. So we got in a fight because we couldn't both order the same thing. As it turned out their group who was extremely dry. Which for some reason my girlfriend celebrated with glee. I thought the pork tasted great but my girlfriend said it was dry it and if it didn't have sauce she would have thrown it away. The bread pudding dessert with the worst I've ever had super dry and definitely not worth the carbs. The Elvis dessert was very good and approached greatness. The rasberry whiskey martini almost made me want to throw up. if I come here again it will be you to eat the lobster hush puppies and drink a beer at the bar and watch the game.
(2)Amanda M.
This was hands down the absolute worst brunch I have ever had in my life. I do not say those words lightly. A) The Bloody Mary: Kudos for the fact that it's a $2.50 mimosa or bloody mary. But, folks, you get what you pay for. There was no discernible alcohol in my beverage whatsoever. In place of vodka, I chewed on perhaps a half a pound of celery seed, and dodged the chili/bbq sauce rim. I ordered an extra shot of vodka to prove to myself that I was indeed drinking an adult beverage, and that was $5. Don't get me wrong. $5 is fine for a shot, but seems ridics to pay twice as much as the bloody mary if a shot is already allegedly in there. No one else at our table finished theirs either. *Mimosas were fine. Go with mimosas! B) My friend ordered biscuits and gravy. They were laughable. It looked like someone took a paintbrush and brushed on a swath of gravy. (I will attach a picture.) I mean, why the hell would anyone order parmesan cheese biscuits and gravy if there's only eau de gravy?? The biscuits were also cardboard hard. She spent the entire meal trying to saw through them, until she finally gave up on everything. C) I ordered salmon eggs benedict. Where to begin.... First, I think it customary for there to be any kind of starch..an English muffin...a biscuit...ANYTHING! to go underneath. There was nothing. Just salmon, eggs, and a coagulated "hollandaise." Second, the salmon was tremendously overcooked. Third, the two "poached eggs" were just sad...watery, and one had presumably burst before it made the plate - there was no yolk. Fourth, the portion size was ...tiny. The giant plate arrived with overcooked salmon the size of the botched eggs, and my friends laughed and said, "Ha, hope you're not hungry." There was a general consensus at our table that no one would ever eat there again, but we did all laugh about how terrible it managed to be.
(1)Erick H.
Don't listen to any of these other fools who speak negatively of this establishment. I love this restaurant, and it is all around great. The food was satisfying and the service was excellent. I will definitely be back. The only downside is that the food is a little pricey, but I can assure you it is a good value. Automatic Slim's is a very unique dining experience and I definitely recommend it.
(5)Jack S.
Unfortunately this establishment put a big damper on a much anticipated first visit to Memphis. It has a great urban vibe, eclectic menu and a lots of specialty drinks and draft beer. After ordering and served delicious lobster hush puppies in a matter of minutes it was time to order adult beverages. At 54 it was fun to be carded even though it had nothing to with being mistaken for a 20 year old, it was policy. No problem I happily obliged. Then BAM! Everything "went South" and never recovered. Because I hail from the state of Illinois where safe drivers (aka no violations or accidents) are able to renew online and get a new card sent in the mail with very official holographically enhanced sticker on the back stating: CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION "License expires four years from expiration date on face of license" By Jesse White, Secretary of State. In my case the 4 year expiration date is September 2015. Could not be more clear. Well not according to "Automatic Slims" management. Even though I fly for business about 20 times a year to various US airports, TSA has never denied my passage. I've used the same ID during bank and real estate transactions without a hitch. But now in this happy moment with my family, after a 7 hour drive and touching visit to the Civil Rights Museum I was told repeatedly by the manager of this establishment my license was EXPIRED. Period. She had never seen this type of extension and therefore it was not legal to serve me a beer. She said the state is very strict about this and as a law abiding citizen I can appreciate her following procedure. But had a state official or cop showed up I am very certain this would have been a non issue. I debated her judgement with a calm explanatory tone but when she stared back with crossed arms and a cold immovable stance, I became insulted. I paid for the appetizer and abruptly left. Amazes me that this happened at all, completely avoidable had the manager taken some time to validate her snap judgement. The 1 star is for the delicious appetizer and our welcoming and efficient server who seemed just as embarrassed by this decision as we were. PS About an hour later my adult son took it upon himself to research this state of Illinois renewal practice online and email the info to the Automatic Slims website. I had no idea he was up to this, but I think the discomfort of the situation required closure, so he went back to Automatic Slims in person to explain it so they did not make the mistake to other unsuspecting Illinois customers. Management had already read the email and apologized to my son. While that was nice of them, the damage is done.
(1)Jonathan H.
Great find! Brunch is fantastic. Perfectly poached egg in the Benedict. The inside out patty melt is great. They melt and caramelize the cheese on the outside of the bun. Yum!
(4)Emily C.
I have dined here twice the past few weeks. The food has been absolutely delectable each time. I highly recommend the Georgia Peach martini! I can't wait to go back to try more of their specialty martinis - so many to choose from. I can't even put into words how delicious the grilled oysters are! I would rank their salmon entree above any salmon I've had anywhere in the country. I had the crawfish risotto and fresh asparagus served with it. The service is always great. I can't wait to return soon! Make sure you check out their daily specials. I have heard wonderful things about their Brunch and excited to try it soon!
(4)Steph M.
This was probably the worst brunch eperience I've had to date... There are really no words. We were greeted by a surly hostess who looked around and informed us that there were no tables available, so we offered to sit at the bar. No big deal. Upon sitting down, I immediately noticed flies buzzing around, open bottles with no spouts, and other telltale signs that this bar was not kept up properly.. The lone bartender was running around like crazy, preparing "mimosa bongs" and stocking the bar, but she greeted us instantly. She said that she would be back in a few moments with menu's, which turned into dropping off menu's about ten minutes later. I ordered a bloody mary, which took about ten minutes for her to make, and which consisted of half a pint glass (HALF, PEOPLE) of Worcestershire sauce. I took one sip, almost gagged, and didn't touch it again. $2.50 bloody mary's if you can stomach straight Worcestershire sauce.. I ordered the dish where you can choose three options, and I chose biscuits and gravy, potato hash, and bacon. The boyfriend ordered the chorizo hash. We watched a chorizo hash get sent back to the kitchen for not having the special ordered eggs on top. About five minutes later, our food arrived.. With his chorizo hash cold, the eggs broken and congealed on top. There's nothing you could say to convince me that wasn't the messed up order that was sent back ten minutes before.. My biscuits and gravy were generic biscuits and gravy, but the gravy was extremely rich. My potato hash? Were just potatoes. Broiled sweet potatoes at that, nothing hash about it. And this is literally. The first time in my entire life. That I've refused to eat bacon. It was rubbery, greasy and cold, and it turned my stomach. We asked for the check, paid out (tipped the bartender, of course) and left. The ONLY good thing about this visit was the bartender. She was running like crazy, to the point that she couldn't even take care of her less than half full bar, but she was obviously trying. She had a good attitude and was attempting to make the best of it, even though it was obviously not a good day. The rest of the staff really irritated me, only because I've worked in restaurants for years. As the bartender ran around making drinks for the servers, about five waitresses congregated at the end of the bar, obviously perturbed about having to wait for their drinks to be made, and impatiently tapped their feet. God forbid you offer or attempt to jump in and help.. I mean, I created a yelp account to post this, it was just that bad. I will definitely never be back.
(1)Joelle P.
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please? There is a new hands down winner for Memphis brunch and that is Automatic Slim's. Because let's face it, any place with a MIMOSA BONG is going to be rated pretty high in my book (please see the photo I uploaded...you have to see it to believe it...and appreciate it). But even though their mimosas are spectacular ($2.50 by the glass), their food is even better. I haven't had brunch like that in a very very very long time. In fact, I ordered two entrees because I couldn't decide...and I also got dessert. Their grilled cheese was an absolute revelation...that may seem like a boring menu item, but honey, it wasn't with their culinary twist. And the s'more dessert? The best thing I've had in months. The banana pancakes? Gone in 60 seconds. And what I really wanted was the Oreo waffles...but decided my already too tight pants didn't need it. I have always loved the atmosphere here (as well as their martinis) but never found something on the menu that kept me coming back as a regular -that has all changed now that I've discovered their brunch menu. By the way, if you want to go where the downtowners go it seems this is the place. I chatted with a few tables near me and they were all downtown dwellers who have Automatic Slim's as their go-to weekend brunch place. I can see why. I had way too many mimosas (i.e. 4), 2 entrees and a dessert for $35! (OK, with tip that reaches $42 but still..awesome prices!)
(5)Liz O.
I am and infrequent reviewer on Yelp. But I liked this place a lot and when I saw the mixed reviews on here, felt obliged to correct the record. Came here for brunch and our food was so delicious everyone was all over each other's plates enjoying the variety of awesomeness. The grilled cheese was not your mother's sandwich. Excellent fresh sourdough bread with sharp cheddar, super fresh tomato and nice crispy bacon. Perfect. The creative and supersweet waffles and pancakes were quirkily delicious. And the Bloody Mary was perfect as well. Our server was polite, friendly, efficient and informative. As others have noted, the decor is great and the vibe is groovy. Outdoor tables are also available, and the prices are perfectly reasonable. Don't listen to the haters. Go to Automatic Slims.
(5)Lauren L.
This was a great find! Came here because the Peabody was on a wait and saw a sign for $2.50 Bloody Mary's. Delicious rendezvous rub for the rim, so I was sold. Got the scallops and grits dish and the simplicity of their prep was not underwhelming in the least. Delicious!! Would definitely go back!!
(5)Hoa K.
So we decided to try this place out based on a fellow yelper. We were seated upstairs, which I thought was awesome! The decor is more modern with a western twist. Loved the decor! I was really set on trying the fried chips with Fondu cheese...sadly, they didn't serve it for lunch....only for dinner. Disappointment. Our server recommended the inside out burger and crab cake eggs Benedict. I was not super impressed with my burger. It was greasier than I would have liked. The buns wee flipped inside out (I guess that's the way to describe it). I give them credit for being creative. Now, being from the gulf coast area, I know crab cake! The crab to bread ratio was like 1:2. Too much breading and not enough crab. Eggs were cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy. Not sure if the "wow" factor was there. For a brunch menu, the dishes were pretty pricey. I may or may not try this place again...I would love to try the Fondu chips if I make it back to Memphis.
(3)Shameka O.
Sunday Brunch here won't necessarily fill you up, but it's priced well for the portions, tasty, and adorned with wonderful downtown class and swag! I simply love the look of Automatic Slim's. It's trendy yet classy and the menu is reflective of that as well. The $2.50 Mimosas and Bloody Mary's are an added perk to the consistently friendly and fast service. On my most recent trip, I ordered several Mimosas and the Automatic Omelet served with Potato Hash. The omelet was good, but I needed a little salt and pepper, actually a side of salsa might be the trick to take this omelet all the way. The potato hash is simply crispy fried cubed potatoes, which weren't anything special, but no need to complain about simplicity either.
(4)Tai B.
The big draw for Sunday brunch here is $2.50 mimosas and bloody Mary's. Today the service was incredibly slow and sub par. I got one chocolate chip pancake, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. The hash browns were disgusting. They were oily and really salty. I must have had a bad bunch because someone else's tastes better than mine. I was glad I could order just one pancake, and it was ok my first time having a chocolate chip pancake. The scrambled eggs were cooked to perfection though. I tried my friends banana foster French toast and it was good, but a little sweet, as to be expected. The downsides....my friends scrambles eggs that can with her French toast were cold, as was someone else's potato hash, and the hot tea I ordered. All cold. Cold food and slow service (foods came out of the kitchen slow, not sure why since things were cold) makes this a 3 star place.
(3)Susie B.
Worst. Food. From. Frozen. Sausage links and potatoes were clearly from a frozen bag and tasteless. Eggs were from a pre- bottled egg mix. Absolutely tasteless and no salt or pepper on the table to help the situation. $10 for approximately $2.50 worth of food. But for the $2.50 mimosas and Bloody Mary drinks, this place would be closed. This is a follow up visit to a lunch I had with the make your own salad. A poor value at $9 for few ingredients on a skimpy salad. I hope this place closes to make room for a decent venue. It's not keeping pace with competitors.
(1)Zachary P.
Great brunch! Started off with some good mimosas and delicious Bloody Mary's. Ordered the Inside Out Patty Melt. It was an ok selection, but I ended having a taste of the Elvis pancakes.... WOW! Absolutely amazing! I would come here every Sunday for brunch!
(4)Christin Y.
Awesome brunch. Spicy Bloody Mary. Mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Salmon benedict was flavorful and light. Service is quick and friendly. And they open at 9am for brunch, which is earlier than most downtown brunch places. A+
(5)Chip D.
Alright - went back today (not my choice) with a group. Better service and I actually ate the food. Only one staff working, so it was very slow. Good preparation was sloppy, but tasty. They served drinks in plastic cups? So, slightly better, but nothing to write home about.
(2)Jon M.
I love this place! I don't ever recall so far having a bad time at this restaurant. Let me start off by saying that I love a mix crowd of customers of different open sexual orientations and ethnicities which they are very open to. The servers were very attentive and engaged into the guests which I love a natural flow of things between servers and customers. I go on Mondays which they have $3 martinis and I love their variety of martinis they have with premium liquors for such a good price whether on the special Mondays or regular day. I just started eating their food and I love their Chicken Club sandwich. It was so good. I also tasted some of my friends' brunch items such as the hash browns and steak. It was delicious. They also have $2.50 Mimosas on Saturdays and Sunday's during brunch hours! Winning!!! I will continue to keep going here!
(5)Caroline V.
We went right as they opened and found this to be a nice spot for brunch. We loved laid-back Sunday morning vibe and the look of this place in the daytime. The best-of-the-90s soundtrack (Hootie and the Blowfish and Stone Temple Pilots) made for a trip down memory lane. I ordered the green eggs and ham omelet sans ham, which came with breakfast potatoes. Husband had the crabcake eggs benedict, also with potatoes. The potatoes didn't look like anything special, but they were surprisingly delicious - crispy-not-greasy and nicely seasoned. My omelet was nice, and I bet if I ate ham, the ham would put it over the edge. As it was, I hoped to taste a bit more of the "greens." For $13, husband expected either a slightly larger crabcake or perhaps some big pieces of lump crabmeat in the crabcakes, but he liked the dish overall. I tasted the buttery hollandaise and gave it the stamp of approval (I am a hollandaise snob). Baby dined on what was probably the best fruit plate ($5) he's had since we relocated to Memphis six months ago. You can tell a lot about a restaurant by the quality of the fruit plate. Does the quantity and variety match up to the price? Is the fruit ripe without being past its prime? Is it nicely cut and tastefully presented? A good fruit plate means high standards, and you can bet that anything else coming out of the kitchen will match those high standards. This fruit plate had at least five different kinds of fresh (not mushy, and not oxidized) fruit on it, so that speaks to the quality here. $2.50 Bloody Marys and mimosas for brunch, which starts at 9 on Saturday and Sunday (one of the most accommodating breakfast/brunch schedules of any place downtown).
(3)Brittney H.
I am a fan of Automatic Slim's. They have a great martini list! If you're eating dinner, I suggest the red fish entree! It's amazing! If you're there for Sunday brunch, I suggest getting a mimosa tower and ordering the shrimp and grits! :)
(4)Erika B.
Great Bloody Mary, $2.50, with Rendezvous rub instead of a normal salted rim. I ordered the scallops and grits, as did my sister. We were impressed with the flavor combo of the cheesy grits asparagus and scallops. My other sister ordered the Elvis pancakes which were out of this world!! I highly recommend this establishment! Not to mention the staff and ambiance is great too!!
(5)Kyle C.
Automatic Slim's is always a good choice for lunch, drinks, or a somewhat more casual, yet still classy, dinner. The food is always somewhere between good and great. Let me clarify...it's not just good, and it's definitely never great...it's better than average. I applaud Slim's for their somewhat eclectic menu options. However, they can often miss the mark by attempting to be too eclectic. The options, nonetheless, are always well-crafted and tasty. For lunch, I definitely recommend trying the gumbo. You would not necessarily expect it from a place like this, but it is always exceptional. The only drawback is that It is a bit pricey at $5 cup/$7 bowl. The decorations are interesting and eye-catching, part of the hold-over from Karen Carrier's ownership days. (For those not in the know, Karen Carrier is a Memphis chef and restauranteur, who also owns Beauty Shop, Bar DKDC, and Molly Fontaine Lounge). I digress. The wait staff and bartenders are always nice and courteous. Service can sometimes suffer just a bit when the place gets extremely busy, as can wait times for food from the kitchen. However, this is few and far between. Bottom line...this is a pretty solid choice for lunch or dinner, in addition to grabbing drinks before heading to another venue.
(4)Fabian R.
Good food; bad service. The bartender didn't want to accept my DC ID, and said that she needed an ID from a US state, or my passport. Not only she didn't know how DC IDs look like, but she didn't know what the acronym DC means. "His ID has a DC address, but it says 'District of Columbia' on top," she told another employee, when referring to me. I explained her that that was what DC stood for, and even when she served me my alcoholic drink, she didn't accept that she didn't know what DC stood for. I guess she realized she was saying something stupid, but she couldn't admit it. At the end she just said I was wrong, that she "looked that up," but kept offering me alcoholic drinks (which I refused. My brunch was ruined). Anyways, food was good and cheap. Won't come back, though.
(2)Craig W.
Chicken & Waffles, Mimosa Bong... Sounds like a good brunch to me. The Chicken & Waffles was a delicious meal with the tasty maple syrup. I ordered a side of bacon, which was very terrible. But other than that I enjoyed this place a lot. It was good for our group of 5. I could see it accommodating for larger groups. I enjoyed my time here and so did my friends. The decor is quality Memphis. I still have not had the full menu, but the brunch makes me want to try it.
(4)Andy S.
Automatic Slim's is a great restaurant in downtown Memphis. I'm actually surprised that I have never reviewed it before. One of my friend's likes to come here for brunch. I love to come here for drinks. Their mimosas are only $2.50 during brunch. Their bloody mary's are also $2.50. They are pretty spicy, and I love the seasoned rim of the glass. My favorite thing here are the martinis. They are only $5 from 10am to 7pm, and they have TONS of flavors. My personal favorite is the key lime pie martini. It literally tastes just like a liquid key lime pie. The rim is a graham cracker crust. Their food is also good. I have never had something that I didn't like. In the past I have had their Monte Cristo sandwich, which is sinfully delicious. Their parmesan gravy on their sausage and biscuits is also good. You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu.
(4)Heather B.
So disappointing! We saw the sign for brunch and $2.50 mimosas so we stopped in. The 1 star I give this place is for taste of their mimosas...fresh squeezed OJ is always a good thing. We were told it was going to be a 15-20 minute wait so we ran a quick errand and came back to sit at the bar until our table was ready. Let me preface this review by saying I worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years so I may be a little harder on places than most. So it's Sunday lunch time and it's super busy. It was obvious the employees were in the weeds and flustered, but you never should let the guests know this is the case. Let's start with the bartender. It took her 10 minutes to even look at us and acknowledge we were there. She said she would be with us in a minute as she's washing glasses right under us slamming them down. I'm also noticing she's giving them a one pass on the bartender washer thing and lipstick stains were still on the glasses as she was setting them down. I then hear her say to another employee "where the f*** is so and so?" Assuming it was someone who should have been there helping her. The whole time she was complaining to bar guests about how busy she was and how she kept running out of glasses to make drinks in. She finally asks us what we would like to drink very rudely and we said we wanted mimosas. 10 minutes later with no mimosas, we were seated at our table and our waitress finally got us these damn mimosas we had waited 20 minutes for. I ordered the crab cake Benedict. Such a delicious concept that many restaurants put on their brunch menus. However, the crab cakes were cold and the over poached eggs were not warm either. One of the crab cakes had more red and green peppers in it then crab. So sad...especially after the 45 minute wait to get the food. This place has a lot of potential...great ambiance and decor. Rude and terrible service will drive any place into the ground. I don't live in Memphis, but my advice is to skip this place unless you want a good mimosa.
(1)Kat K.
I'm sorry to say this, but this was the worst restaurant meal I've had in ages. I should have suspected from the complete emptiness at peak lunchtime that things wouldn't be great, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I got a trio of grilled cheese sliders with house-made potato chips. Sounds un-screw-uppable, right? What I got were three mealy little buns with little to no discernible cheese. One had an avocado chunk that was not just not soft -- I couldn't get through it with a knife. Another had a heap of what seemed to be steamed onions and apples and little else. The third was...it was just OK. Some bacon and a whisper of cheese, but just kind of there. The chips verged on burnt. This wasn't just food that had no care to it -- it felt almost contemptuous. The server asked if everything was OK and I never, NEVER complain about food, but I just couldn't lie. I told her about the avocado, and she went back to the kitchen, took a look and came back to say that she agreed that they shouldn't have been served to anyone because they just weren't right. (I could have taken it off the bun, but honestly, there was really nothing else on the bun to eat!) I ate most of the least offensive one because I was extremely hungry, and left about 2/3 of what I'd been served on the plate because it was just terrible. This wasn't reflected in the bill at all, and the server -- to whom news of terrible food seemed par for the course -- just sorta shrugged "Sorry." Huge bummer for what could be a great place.
(1)Carla G.
This place is expensive. It isn't huge in size, but it did have steady business. Tonight they had $5.00 Martinis and an extensive menu of Martinis. I do recommend the Mounds Martini and Hubby really has come to like the local Ghost River beer. Our server Kevin was attentive but not overly so. The server had the kitchen staff bring us our food. Hubby asks "where was our waiter in all this?" Hubby ordered the Salmon with Lobster and it came on a bed of Basmati Rice with Green Beans. I ordered the Crab Cake appetizer (3 crab cakes) and the Wedge Salad. Our food was good but when we got the bill, we had sticker shock. The portions were average in size, but not huge and not a great value for the money. For dessert Hubby had the French Silk Pie and I had the Vanilla Bean Cream Brulee. Again delicious. Our gastronomical experience would have gotten 4 except that when we went to pay the bill we found out that they would not take our Credit Card (they don't take Discover)...so we had to scramble for cash. Not a fun feeling especially when traveling,
(2)Mandy H.
I love the atmosphere here. I've never eaten their food, so not the best person to ask in that regard, but their bar is fantastic. Their staff is friendly and they are willing to come up with any manner of drink you can dream up, ON TOP of the extensive drink list they have. The place has a classy drink after work kind of feel to me. You have the opportunity to catch up with friends in a place that has a great ambiance and an overall happy wait staff. I haven't had a truly bad experience here.
(4)Christina P.
Went for a late lunch and build my own salad which was very well priced and deliciously fresh . I sat at the bar and the bartender was attentive but not overly chatty. Oh and did I mention it was a Friday and they had $5 martins? Good afternoon!
(4)Whitney B.
I hate to write this review because we used to really love this place. We went here for drinks after a Redbirds game on Saturday night and decided to come back for Sunday Brunch after looking at the menu. The service wasn't great and the food was terrible. We waited probably 10 minutes for our first round of Bloody Marys. We ordered the chorizo and potato hash and the crab cakes benedict. The portion size of the hash was pretty ridiculous and it wasn't tasty at all. The crab cakes benedict is where they really screwed up. The crab cakes didn't have much flavor at all and they overcooked the poached eggs to the point that they were hardboiled eggs. I saw another guy who ordered them and had the same problem. The waitress had to of noticed the two balls of yolk left on the plate when she took them but she didn't say anything. We should have complained so they could learn how to properly poach an egg but given everything else that was wrong during our meal, we just decided to not come back.
(1)Martie P.
This past weekend, friends and I went to Automatic Slims for brunch. I am a die-hard fan of Majestic brunch, solely because of the $15.00 pitcher of mimosas. However, Majestic was booked and they recommended Automatic Slims as another option. My first reaction was, "Automatic Slims has brunch?" Indeed, they do. I always forget about Automatic Slims and ask myself, why. It's such a great place - good atmosphere, good food, good drinks... The brunch menu doesn't have a vast number of options, but it does offer something for everyone. From banana's foster french toast, to eggs benedict t the best cheese grits this side of the Mason Dixon line. Since, I heart banana's foster, I tried the french toast. Oh my, it was like dessert! Although, they didn't have pitchers of mimosas, they did have $2.50 bloody mary and mimosa specials. Their coffee was complete crap, so don't even bother...unless you enjoy coffee flavored water. The coffee was my sole complaint.
(4)Marcia M.
Loved the decor and vibe of Automatic Slim's. Although it was located amongst many touristy attractions, this trendy yet charming space stands out... and in a good way. The dirty martini was on point along with the kitchen staff who made a few tweaks to their flatbread to accommodate my vegan lifestyle. The bartender was snarky but in a fun way. I can appreciate someone who talks mad shizz to me while I'm getting my drink on. Prices were fair for the quality of product and environment. I dig it. Give this place a shout the next time you're near the Beale Street madness! It's located across the street from the Peabody hotel.
(4)Pamela M.
The best martini happy hour deals in town! Happy hour is EVERYDAY from 11:00am-7:00pm and features over 30 specialty martinis for just $5.00!!! Automatic Slims' location is great for those who want to hang out downtown and get a jump start for the night--it is situated across the street from the historic Peabody hotel. I had the Butterfly martini (Stoli citros, white grape juice, fresh basil and mint) and the Pomegranate martini. The martinis were decent, especially for $5.00, but nothing to rave about. If you are looking for a liquid dessert, I would recommend the Mint Chocolate Chip martini--it was delicious and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth! Despite the fabulous martini deals, the drink selection and the nice, comfortable ambiance, the restaurant was devoid of customers. I wondered to myself, why are people missing out on these great martini deals??? After all, my girls and I were there during prime dinner time (5:30-7:00pm). It soon occurred to me (I presume) that it was the service at the bar. Our bartender was somewhat socially awkward. Instead of engaging us in conversation or asking us if we wanted more drinks, she stood about three feet away from us and stared at us and listened to our conversation for the majority of the hour and a half that we were there laughing every now and then at our 'girl talk'. Perhaps, it was more noticeable probably because only two other people were in the restaurant. Regardless, I would come back for happy hour for a martini or two to start the night off and then head somewhere livelier afterwards.
(3)Steve J.
Good food and Mimosa specials. Small portions though. My side of bacon came with 2 little slices.
(3)Paddy O.
Went on a Thursday night last week. I've eaten here before the concept changed. It smelled a little fishy though that went away right away and wasn't so crowded at 9pm when I got there but it did build as the night went on. Started with the spinach salad, soft cooked egg, warm bacon vinaigrette and roasted tomatoes The egg was cold and hard cooked, the tomato was just a refrigerated wedge not roasted, bacon was noticeably missing from dressing. You decide Next was the Duck Confit Patty Melt w/ spicy homemade ketchup Delicious, presentation was weak but as soon as I lifted the golden triangles of perfectly sweet caramelized onions and tender duck confit with aged white cheddar I was in heaven. I liked it better without the ketchup which they thankfully serve on the side in a ramekin. Filet Oscar, perfectly done. Large lumps of crab and a velvety sauce with a hint a tarragon Sesame crust hamachi tuna on basamati rice with roasted red pepper seaweed salad and dried cherry-soy reduction. Nice. Perfect execution on temperature. Rice was fluffy, sweet aromatic. Seaweed salad I could take or leave. It added color and texture but no real flavor. Service was good and attentive Didn't have dessert so I can't comment on how good the key lime pie they fly in is any good or not
(3)Petros H.
Nice environment, friendly and upscale. Took my wife and 2kids(6&4) on wednesday at 8pm. The tuna and red fish were super fresh and very tasteful, The martinis excellent and they even had a kids menu. The risotto was a bit overcooked and the rice a little under... - really surprised that our waitress included her 20% on our party of 4. Not too sure why, did not bother to ask but I would have done better if it was left open..
(4)Lauren S.
This brunch was almost hilariously bad. As in, we are laughing because we feel like we are on an episode of Punked. We came in after viewing the ducks in the Peabody across the street. Sign on the door says $2.50 mimosas and bloody marys. DONE. The menu sounded great. Good sauces, spices, chorizo hash- yum. However, within minutes we were greeted by a horribly socially awkward waiter and slow service. It wasn't til we stared receiving our meal that the real issues started. My scallops and grits came in the middle of a HUGE plate without the promised sauce, green beans, etc. Just two scallops plopped on a little pile of grits. Luckily I remembered what I ordered, so I brought this to the attention of the staff who said "Oh, that's definitely not done, is it?". A few other experiences: -Over-easy eggs were LEGITIMATELY raw, as in the 'whites' were still translucent. Hello, salmonella! -Potatoes / hash (which were the same thing, oddly) were just chopped dry potatoes (no spice, no onions, literally NOTHING on them). -Had to beg for ketchup and then wait about 15 min to get it. -Speaking of waiting, meals at every table seemed to come out at completely random times. The table next to us was IRATE because it took over an hour for every person to get served (plates came out about every 15 min). Listen, guys- eggs, bacon, and potatoes are EASY. You throw stuff together, fry it up, add some spice, call it a day. We just wanted something edible, and this was ACTUALLY not edible. I seriously suggest you look somewhere else for brunch. You have been informed ;)
(1)Vicki V.
I met up with a friend here for Sunday Brunch. We were the first patrons at 10am. Being my first time there, I was instantly impressed by Automatic Slim's decor and ambiance. There was low lighting from the orange lanterns, the woven wall was interesting, and music was relaxing. Our waitress was really nice and kept our drinks refilled. The chef even came out and asked how the food was! And it was just brunch!! The food was great. I ordered eggs benedict with crawfish (SOO good but wish they offered more to my plate b/c I finished pretty quickly), bf ordered the count of montecristo sandwich(too much ham for me and lacking the jam!), friend ordered the bananas foster french toast (fluffy and delicious). I think each plate was around $10 so it was a little pricey for the portions you get. I guess you're paying for the service and the quality in taste though. You can definitely taste the freshness of the orange juice, our waitress said she squeezed them herself!! This place is good if you want to impress visitors or a date. But it is $$ for breakfast so I don't know about eating here THAT often.
(4)Christopher C.
Once upon a time, Automatic Slims used to be one of the best places to go for lunch Downtown. I visited today for the first time in several years and much has changed, and not for the better. The first thing I noticed in perusing the lunch menu posted outside is that it appears to be severely pared down from what I remember. This should have been a warning sign to keep walking, but I foolishly ignored it. Inside, the place was completely empty (another warning sign disregarded), and classic rock from the 80s blasted over the sound system at a volume more suggestive of happy hour. I ordered the grilled chicken breast entree, which the menu described as being topped with shrimp, crawfish, onions, and Swiss, and served over dirty rice. What actually arrived at my table was nothing like that. Of the four promised toppings, I could detect only the cheese, and what Slim's calls "dirty rice" is merely white rice with a few bits of bell pepper mixed in. It didn't taste bad; just very, very bland, which is the exact opposite of what you want when ordering what appears to be a Cajun-inspired dish. Even if the meal had been appetizing, it was still a poor value for the money: $11 for maybe five ounces of chicken and a few grains of rice, a paucity of food only magnified by the giant plate on which it arrived. I can only conclude that Slim's heart is simply not in its lunch menu anymore. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, I would highly recommend instead proceeding around the corner to the Belle Diner, where generous portions of much tastier food can be had at far more reasonable prices. The only reason I'm giving Slim's two stars instead of one is the service, which was friendly and attentive without being overly hovering.
(2)Maria C.
Enjoyed appetizers and cocktails during their generous happy hour. Huge list of novelty, desserty cocktails with fun names. Great soundtrack, comfortable atmosphere.
(4)Thomas O.
the fiance and I went for a meal at 630 on a Saturday evening. service was good. the food was not great. she had a $9 salad that didn't even fill the plate with 5 tiny slivers each of apple and pear. her pork chops took quite a bit of effort to slice and chew. the potatoes on the side were not cooked. my fish was really nice, but the crawfish risotto underneath it was undercooked to the point that half of it was crunchy. it was a disappointment. I paid full price, $99, including a 20% tip, but I will not be back there for date night dinner. it is a shame as they have a great space downtown and a nice looking restaurant with what seems to be a great wait staff, the food just wasn't good and way over priced for what we received. hopefully, it was a bad night for the cooks or something. it was really bad food.
(1)Gretchen B.
Two stars is a compromise. I wanted 3 but my husband wanted just a 1. His drink order came out wrong and the appetizer was cold and then they had the audacity to send out his mashed potatoes cold too. We should have recognized the universal signal of no one else in the restaurant and not gone in. However my beet and goat cheese salad was refreshing and then the redfish and risotto were actually prepared perfectly.
(2)Mike S.
We ate the Bandannas Foster French Toast for a appetizer. WOW that the way to start the day ... Next was Eggs Benedict and it was to die for some of the best I have eaten. The Mimosa are made with fresh OJ .I would go back again and again for breakfast...
(4)Mike K.
When I interviewed for the PhD program that brought me to Memphis this is where they took us to dinner. This place was supposed to help woo students to Memphis. It didn't not do that. My first time around the menu was lots of fun. I remember I had a steak that came with bacon wrapped fried bananas. It was great. I came back the next year as a student to woo new students. The menu had changed, which was good since I like things to stay fresh, and I had something equally as fun. I went back for the third time recently in the same scenario, with a new menu again. This time, the menu was less fun. Then I tried the food. This time, the food was less good. We can hope they are going through a dry spell, but the reality is that even when the menu was fun and food was good it was just that. The food was good. Why am I only eating at this place when I'm invited as part of a program interview? Why am I never choosing this place to go out to dinner myself? Because it isn't good enough for me to decide I want to eat here. Don't get me wrong, it's good enough to eat, but so is Subway, and I don't choose to eat there much either. This place's saving grace is the creativity in food, dessert, and cocktail. Let's hope that they can get the food taste back up to where it was before, which was good. Because right now, it's only good. Hmmmmmmmmmm, that's weird. Maybe with a new menu they could make me a bit more enthusiastic about eating here, which even when they had a creative menu I never was. This place is okay. There are tastier places, there are funner places, there are classier places. Feel like trying something new and safe, though? Give Automatic Slim's a go!
(3)Misti M.
I am a lifetime Memphian and I have been hearing about Automatic Slims for years. I just took in the big jewelry expo at the convention center with a friend and decided to treat him to a nice lunch out somewhere in the downtown area. We picked Automatic Slims. I wish we had moved on. The decor is wonderful, and the service from Josh was very good, but the food SUCKED big time. My friend ordered the Automatic omelet, and it was just ok, but he HATED those little chopped up potatoes, and evidently so did a lot of people, because as we looked around the room, that is what people were leaving on their plates. My friend stopped eating the potatoes and asked for grits instead, and when that arrived , it was sorry as well, so he just left it. Now to my meal. I LOVE gumbo and was happy when I saw they had it. I was given a nice size bowl that was shallowly HALF FULL.. and a very very small Caesar salad. I asked for crackers, they had none, so I asked for some bread to go with it , and that never came. Quite a while later when the food was almost gone, Josh came up with some crackers "they found downstairs." I never thought bread at a restaurant was such a hard request. My gumbo was AWFUL. It tasted like it was laden with ground beef of all things, and was oily is the best way I can describe it. It was good and spicy, but that was perhaps the best thing about it.. There literally was not much in it. The tab came to right at 40.00 , and I have yet to understand what I was paying for. This place is a definite NO GO anymore for me.
(1)Tanya T.
My review could simply read, "what Erica B. said." Seriously, she is so right. Slim's has the best grilled cheese, hands down, and I am picky about my grilled cheeses. They usually have a grilled cheese special of the day and change it up quite a bit. They don't even need to do that though- they had me at gouda. The homemade chips rock, and I am completely satisfied after a lunch break here. I've mostly been to Slim's for drinks though. When you walk off Union Avenue and into Automatic Slims on any given evening, you'll feel like you've left the city entirely and entered into a NY or LA bar. Or at least as close as Memphis can get to NY or LA. The ambiance is seriously upscale and chic- my friends and I used to say we were going to mingle with "the beautiful people" when we were headed out to Slim's. A nice, classy place for early evening drinks, this is the party before the party. Slip on some strappy heels and go crazy.
(4)Heath R.
What a lucky find for us! The Bloody Mary's are among the best I've ever had and the Delta grind grits are addicting. We were served in a timely and friendly way even though the restaurant was getting slammed by Saturday brunch-goers. My only suggestion to them would be to plan ahead on the Bloody Mary garnishes when a bunch of Longhorns are coming to town as our second round didn't have the amazing crab stuffed olives, limes or pickled asparagus.
(4)Hokie F.
Nice open space. Decent wine selection. Salad was fresh. Gnocchi with short ribs was velvety if a bit salty. Will come again.
(4)s. m. j.
I've eaten at Automatic Slim's several times in the last five years (I'm not in Memphis that often), and I've always been very pleased with the entire experience: food, atmosphere and service. The first time I was here for a business lunch, and the experience was just as great and appropriate as it was when I came with my husband for a romantic dinner, or when we came with another couple. The first time I was here, I remember how delicious the French fries were. Also, we had a really personable and funny waiter who asked all of us (clients and our team) if we all worked together because we were having such a good time, our office must be a lot of fun! On our most recent outing, we asked if they would change the television station from the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game to the Wisconsin game for my husband, who was sick, and they did, immediately! We were pretty impressed with this, as the Oklahoma game is a big deal in the South. We were pretty pleased. Also, the food was great! We'd had heavy, southern friend food for lunch, so we came here seeking something healthier and lighter, and we were not disappointed. Two of us had the delicious fancy green salad, which includes goat cheese and other deliciousness. I couldn't decide between the duck confit sandwich and the flatbread, and the waitress told me to go with the flatbread. It was great! We shared a bottle of wine, and I had the creme brulee for dessert, which hit the spot. Automatic Slim's is interesting and "artsy" but not pretentious. In fact, it is cozy and welcoming. Last year, when we dined here, we had a lovely, romantic table upstairs. This year, there was a surprise party in that area of the restaurant, that everyone in the restaurant got to enjoy when the big moment came. This is a wonderful downtown Memphis dining experience. Don't miss it.
(4)Lizzy S.
I went solely because there's a great discount for Orpheum ticket holders, and I am so glad that I went to Automatic Slim's. The food was amazing. I love cooking and cooking shows, and the food was so decadent that I felt like I was eating something from Gordon Ramsey's kitchen. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and I practically inhaled the risotto. My friend that went also raved about her crab cakes. I will definitely be going again and again. Besides the food, the whole place was very classy. I love how they were playing the grizzlies game by projecting it onto the window screens: it made it really subtle and elegant...something I didn't think a place could do with a sports game. I was so glad that I could enjoy conversation with my coworker without being disturbed by other patrons watching the game, which is hard to come by in Memphis. If you're looking for a sophisticated night out with great food, this is the place to go.
(5)Jenny W.
Best grits I've had in a long while and yummy meatless white gravy on flaky buttery biscuits. My fiancé had the crab cake Benedict and loved it as well. Friendly servers, warm comfortable atmosphere.
(5)Paul K.
Service was excellent, but the food was pretty mediocre. Had a mushroom flatbread which was SOAKED in oil- it was actually kinda nasty. For main course had scallops with risotto- again greasy as all hell, and salty to boot. Probably would not end up going back here.
(2)Lawrence M.
re-re-reviewing Slim's. Back to some of their bad habits. Pancakes were dull and flavorless (incredibly doughy). Still cleaner, but there's better in town. Try something else.
(2)Allison D.
Thank you Yelp for finding this spot when we were visiting town; though today I see 3 star average and I swear just a few days ago Yelp gave it 3.5. Anyway, I thought the food was terrific. The decor was great - nice funky interior, even cool restrooms. I had the beet salad with goat cheese fritters which were amazing (!!!). The salad dressing was delicious but the fritters were the star, and oddly enough the beets were hidden under the greens and I only got a few small slices. Should rename it, but I still highly recommend. Others with me had the bloody mary (seemed happy, not my drink), the chocolate chip pancakes (I got to share - very yummy), and some kind of seafood eggs bennedict (okay). I also had the grilled oysters on halfshell which were good, but the goat cheese fritters and delicious salad dressing were what stuck in my mind. I definitely recommend checking this place out! I would go back in a second.
(4)Sandra S.
We walked into this place for brunch/lunch. There was a group of five of us on visiting from Chicago. I don't know if that had anything to do with the utterly unwelcoming feeling and downright rude treatment we received from the staff. As we walked inside, a waitress walked around and past us without so much as a smile, hello or even acknowledgement of our existence. How polite. The place was empty with one table. The host gave us a blank look when we said "Hi, are you open?" He managed a "yeah" as a response. My friend asked to see a menu. First he exhaled and looked put out before he vaguely gestured at a pile of menus on a banquette. It took about 6 seconds of us looking over the menu while he stared at us with contempt before we decided to walk out of this joint. We didn't need to look over the menu of a place that treats customers so rudely and has a staff of jerks. Automatic Slim's can go take a long walk off a short dock straight into the Mississippi as far as I'm concerned.
(1)Sara M.
First I would like to say I LOVE this place! Having lived in Memphis before I would love to have brunch on special occasions at "Slims"! I have been away from the city for 4 years and returned again and fell right back in love but not only me, but my husband did as well. Having never been there before he enjoyed the crabcake benedict and it was all over!! Daniel Bean in the kitchen has been fantastic for years and I love going in and knowing he is preparing the best food!!! Also Paul a gentleman server had recognized me at brunch from days before when I threw a very successful beginning to a bachelorette party with there amazing $5 martini happy hour! He was very professional and fun!! Thanks Automatic Slims for always being a staple when I visit Memphis and now my husbands as well!!!!
(5)Jolynna M.
I love Jamaica, Mon! But since I can't there very often, I opt for Automatic Slim's Tonga Club instead. It's lively, Carribean-chic atmosphere and amazingly creative menu make this a downtown favorite of many locals and tourists alike. My favorites: 1. The Coconut Mango Shrimp. It's their specialty, available as an appetizer and served with an orange-dusted pico de gallo. 2. Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Ahi Tuna (Yes - pumpkin seed). This is a salad and it's sushi-grade tuna on a bed of oranges, dried cranberries &molasses-glazed pecans over greens, with a lemon vinaigrette. And it's delicious! A great summer time lunch option. 3. And last, but certainly not least the Huachinango (pronounced "watch-ee-nan-go"). It's whole crispy fish served with roasted bananas and escabeche of habañeros, white onions, scallions and tomatoes in cane vinegar. Are you hungry yet? If not, you will be as soon as you walk in the door and smell the amazing and exotic aromas floating from the kitchen. And while you wait on your meal, order a specialty drink, then sit back and enjoy.
(4)Shannon L.
I have a girl crush on Karen Carrier and all of her wonderful edible creations. Automatic Slims is not different. They have great signature martinis and decadent food. The lunch menu is amazing, but I suggest trying it for dinner and enjoying the full-on ambiance of the place. My only qualm was that the fried green tomatoes came with no dipping sauce. They just came dry. The crab poboy and pork chop are both juicy and full of flavor though. Definitely worth a go!
(4)Steve R.
Had lunch here and enjoyed the build your own salad and the flatbread. Nice fresh ingredients and good flavor combinations. The sandwiches and fries at the table next to us looked great also. The atmosphere was very comfortable. I would definitely come back here.
(4)Rebecca S.
Food was good however a very poorly run restaurant. Kitchen was slow and staff didn't worked well together. Took a while to even get their drink specials. Might have helped of the bartender was inside the place instead of taking breaks outside. If you are looking for condiments or silverware you should bring your own.
(2)Yoel S.
I usually don't write reviews but this place deserves better. We almost didn't go due to the low star rating but I guess each one has its own experience. Mine was the great. I can for brunch on Sunday. The atmosphere was great (loved the music. We had the scramble and French toast. Both were great. If in downtown Memphis, go try this place.
(4)Benjamin D.
We came for Sunday brunch. The restaurant is beautiful, I'll give you that. Anyway, the place was relatively empty, so the servers were fairly attentive. I had the Green Eggs and Ham Omelette (a regular ham and cheese omelette turned green with tomatillo salsa.) It was good, but considering the high price, not so creative and not so special.
(3)Simone M.
From the outside I knew I wanted to try this place but wasn't sure if I would have time since I was only in town for a few days...when my plans got cancelled I decided to explore and remembered this place. I wanted to sit outside (only two tables but I snagged the last one)...it's a good thing b/c that day the AC broke in the restaurant--this did not stop the steady stream of people coming in. My server (Lauren, I believe) was pleasant and easy going. She greeted me with a smile and shared it was ladie's night (Thursday) and all martinis were $5 for gals. In addition, the appetizers were half off from 5-7pm. I'd say skip the chicken flatbread (bland) but do the crabcakes instead (tasty). I also had the lemon lime martini which was good. The martini glasses were small but for the price you can't beat it. That evening they had a band that played old school cover songs (i.e. sitting on the dock of the bay). I had a great time and the food, drinks and customer service was awesome.
(5)Ingrid C.
The real appeal of this place is the decor (if you've seen it, take this comment however you wish). Conceptually, the food was interesting, but I think the execution is poor. Nothing tasted really fresh, but I can tell there was a good effort attempt. They have these bacon-wrapped bananas... are they supposed to be plantains? I really didn't get it, but the bananas (I hate bananas to begin with) were probably the most disgusting thing I've ever tried to eat. Mushy. Extensive sweet martini list was a plus!
(2)cynithis s.
Well I got there at 459 pm. And the male bartender was quick to ask what kind of drink I wanted. But you would think someone would ask what I want to eat right? 524 and no one asked. I got my bill for my drink, and I made the remark "since no one could ask what I wanted to eat". And no response. Mind you, someone who came in after me got a food order in. The drink was great, but being from out of state. I'll never eat here cause of the service.
(1)Amy W.
This was literally my worst dining experience I've had in my life. I visited with a group of 8 about a year ago for a birthday dinner. We made reservations a week ahead of time which was not necessary because there were two other parties there, a totally of 12 patrons in the restaurant on a Saturday at 7:00pm. We waited for 2.75 hours for our food. We should've left but we got to drinking and got comfortable. They ran out of steak, chicken, and potatoes. They had to run to the grocery in the middle of our meal. Why we were not comped an appetizer or drinks is beyond me. Then I get my bank statement a week later and not only was the tipped changed (although I had left 20% against my better judgment) to reflect 30% and had been charged TWICE. Needless to say I got in touch with management. They did however refund both charges which corrected the overcharge and poor service/ experience but did not correct the integrity of the establishment in my memory. I will never go back. EVER! Awful. Terrible. And I don't even think the food that was available was even good. If I could give this a negative 5 stars I would.
(1)Trista D.
I was a big fan of Automatic Slims when I lived in Memphis so, naturally, I make this a stop for brunch when I'm back in the area. The menu has changed some and the portions are smaller but still sufficient. The service is friendly and attentive, the music selection is great, and the decor is quirky and fun. I had the blackened salmon benedict and it was delicious. I was disappointed when I cut into my egg to find it hard boiled but our waitress came back with properly poached eggs for my friend (who ordered crab cakes benedict) and I in no time. The star of the table was another friend's pork chop and eggs, which was the daily special. It looked amazing and she said it tasted better. If you have enough people to make it worth it, order yourselves the mimosa bong. 11 mimosas for $34.00...but if not, don't fret because mimosas and bloody marys are only $2.50 each.
(4)M R.
The Bloody Mary lived down to its price. A bad mix that tasted like arsenic. It was burning my tongue halfway through and not from the spice. Would rather pay for a decent drink. Food was acceptable, if pricey, but there are much better brunch places around here.
(2)Shaina G.
Gotta love the $3 martinis on Mondays! And an entire HUGE list of fun creations to choose from! The food was good, but a little pricey. A nice location to start of the night and then browse through down town. We had drinks and apps and then walked to the Redbirds Game. Made for an awesome and affordable pre-game:) Don't miss their awesome brunch! Can't beat $2.50 mimosas and bloodies and $8 pancakes and waffles! Try the Slim' scramble and the chocolate chip pancakes! Yum!
(4)Amelia B.
Review solely for brunch. Lured in by the promise of $2.50 bloody marys to cure a post-wedding hangover, Automatic Slims is a decent brunch option, but didn't make that much of an impression. I went with the Green Eggs and Ham, which was surprisingly light on the "green" part - boo. Dining partner was happy with the special, and really happy with the grits, though grits should never be rocket science. However, portions were pretty small, especially for the price point (and this is coming from a girl who is definitely NOT a volume eater). Server seemed like she hated her life the entire time. Perhaps she realized she was working just off of Beale Street.
(3)Jonette W.
This place was ridiculously amazing. We had 2 appetizers & each a different entree, plus a dessert & I tried 3 different drinks throughout the night. Each one was stellar. No complaints. The flavors were spot on & everything was cooked perfectly. Our server was the bomb. Cool & sweet & attentive. Every time we go back to Memphis, we will be coming here. Try this place. You will not be disappointed. Loooooove.
(5)Janine K.
Prior to my first trip to Memphis, my co worker told me repeatedly "go to the place with the martinis" eventually she got me the name of this martini place...Automatic Slim's. It was definitely on our trip agenda to visit this place during happy hour. We did so late afternoon on a Monday. The place was empty so we had our pick of where we wanted to sit. Apparently the martini special during happy hour, which is more like HOURS is $5, however on this particular night they were $3 after 5:00. How totally outrageous is that?!?!? And I mean, in a GOOD way!!! We got a few appetizers, which were the homemade chips with cheese and the buffalo chicken egg rolls and of course, martinis. As other reviews I posted, I really didn't pay attention to what my friends ordered but I had the jelly bean martini, and the strawberry truffle martini. Of course, I could have been there all deciding as they looked SO good on the menu. I also wanted to stay there all day and try every single one of them but we stopped at two :) As we were paying our bill I told my friends....Yep, I'm a fan of this place! It's cute, trendy, has cheap tasty martinis...and I'm all about all that!
(4)Arpana W.
After a relatively long hiatus, I had brunch at Automatic Slims a few weeks ago. There were a good number of choices for food, and it was pretty tasty. I had the bananas foster french toast; and although it was good, it was a small portion and the bread was relatively thinly sliced for french toast. The atmosphere was fine, but the gigantic 100-oz Mimosa bongs were a bit out of place. Unique idea, but it just didn't seem to fit with the restaurant's style. Service was great and I will definitely come back to give the rest of the brunch menu a chance.
(3)Cassie M.
It was hard to put a rating on this-- if you had asked me last night I would have said 5 stars. The bartender on Sunday night was fabulous (I wish I could remember her name!) But you could really tell that she was good at her craft, I addition to be personable. I mean really, one of the best martinis I have ever had. I only had a salad so I can't comment on the food, but man that martini! Anyway, she was the one who told me to come back today for $3 Martini Monday's. I was stoked-- and I had been telling all of my friends about it all day! Well wow, was I disappointed. I tried one martini that was pulpy like a smoothie and the flavor really wasn't great. I knew that I had loved the one the night before, so I went ahead and ordered that same variety next. I couldn't even drink it. The horrible flavor is still floating around my mouth. When I got a chunk of the egg white (which I typically really enjoy in cocktails due to the foamy texture they create) I almost gagged. I don't know if it was the particular bartender or if they just treat Martini Monday as an excuse to create sub-par drinks because people are paying less, but I was NOT impressed! I am so glad that my friends bailed on joining me because I would have been mortified to have been serving them this caliber of drink.
(4)eric g.
Ate here tonight. First the good...service was great! Large party and those are tough. Server was fun, personable, and VERY attentive. BUT... I ordered the Hawaiian RibEye. It was the nastiest thing I have ever put in my mouth! Jar teriyaki sauce...yuk! Served luke warm with limp fries. Terrible meal. Outside the food it was a great experience but you go to a restaurant for food. I won't be back!
(1)Mr. M.
This restaurant just ain't what it used to be. It was my favorite restaurant in town in the 90s. I don't know if it is under different ownership now or what, but we were very disappointed on our recent visit in September 2014 and we won't be back. Food was barely edible, way overpriced, and the portions were tiny. A Podunk impression of a hip, upscale bistro.
(2)B W.
Fabulous martinis - both great selection & quality. Definitely recommend coming in for happy hour on one of the days when drinks & apps are discounted - the lobster flatbread and Mac & cheese were both delicious and a steal.
(4)Sandra P.
Directly across from the Peabody Hotel. Friendly enough staff. Drinks are very sugary. Decor is interesting... I am not really sure what they are going for? The music was totally 90's California... which was kind of odd but being from LA it was ok to me. I had fried oysters and the crab stuffed flounder on a bed of risotto... YUM. The oysters were warm and cheese topping was well balanced. In my main dish the very creamy risotto was a nice base to the flounder which was delicate and light. My friend had the lamb ribs and they were fork tender although he said they were more sweet than savory. Service was friendly if not a bit over-attentive.
(4)Angela P.
A fellow Yelper suggested Automatic Slim's happy hour to me. $5 martinis? Monday thru Friday? Oh hell yes, this ended up on my list! And I'm not even from Memphis. I drove here from Chicago and Slim's still made it to the final itinerary. I plan my vacations carefully, like Danny Tanner in that awful Full House episode where they go to Disney and eventually desert Danny when he gets all nit picky about his itinerary. Yes, I'm that picky, and I still got to Automatic Slim's. So what the hell are you waiting for? The martini list had at least 20 options to choose from. I had the bananas foster, which ended up being my favorite, and the strawberry truffle. Both were fantastic. I took a sip of the mojito martini (my 2nd favorite) and the key lime pie. There was way too much Rumchata in the key lime pie, but it was still a good drink. There was a folksy guitar duo playing in the front of the restaurant, and they helped set the tone of the night. There's a nice ambience in here with pretty tables and lighting, and it appeared to be THE spot for 2-3 ladies out after work for a bite or drinks. As I finished my last martini, I told my husband, "I want to take this home with me." "The martini?" he asked. "No, this BAR!" I whined.
(5)Kimberly C.
Not impressed - the service was spot on but would have done better eating anywhere - McDonalds could have prepared a better salad than the one I ate at Automatic Slims. Romaine lettuce (a corner of a small bag) tomato (diced up, not more than 2 of the small grape tomatoes), grilled mushroom (at most 2 baby bells, diced), and parm cheese (tsp). $9 bucks - complete JOKE!! Maybe there are other things on this menu that are better but for those wanting salad - you will be extremely disappointed.
(1)Tony D.
While in Memphis for work, my colleague and I were looking for a place to get some lunch. Instead of a respectable chain establishment like Hooter's, we were happy to stumble upon Slim's. The place was pretty quiet for lunch, but the food and service were great. My colleague loved his monte cristo sandwich and I enjoyed the fried green tomato BLT. The portion are not huge, but were just the right amount of food. We would give it another shot on our next trip to Memphis.
(4)Bojo F.
I'm glad I didn't look at the yelp rating for this place before going, because it's certainly much better than its current 3-star rating would suggest. Really great food, really great service, really great music. For dinner at 8pm on a Sunday, I got the catfish and grits with hush puppies and it was fantastic. My fiancé got the flat iron steak -which was perfectly done- with corn succotash. That corn succotash was revelationary. These two entrees were about 20 bucks each, and totally worth it. We're from DC, so we were amazed that the place wasn't packed. If you're in the area looking for a nice place for dinner and you're tired of BBQ places, this place is a must.
(5)Becka M.
Stopped by on a whim while visiting and initially was skeptical as we would be the only people there. Let's say the menu did not disappoint. I had the flat iron steak which was perfectly prepared and on a bed on slightly spicy succotash which added excitement to the dish. Paired with a few creative martinis and a s'mores inspired dessert (which also was quite good) and I was set. Definitely worth the trip!
(5)Kiki M.
In a nutshell: decent food, non-existent service, server with something up her butt. Several friends and I were in Memphis for the weekend, so we opted to go here for Sunday brunch. We were quickly seated upon arrival, a pleasant surprise considering we were a group of 7 and had anticipated waiting awhile. That was the last of the pleasant surprises for our visit. The food was solid...tasty but nothing mind blowing. I got the crab cakes benedict and added an order of bacon. The bacon came out as two small-ish slices on a ginormous plate. Some friends ordered the grits which admittedly were out of this world delicious. My boyfriend and I split an order of the red velvet pancakes, since we had never seen these on a menu and wanted to give them a try. They were pretty tasty, albeit really sweet. All in all, a solid quality meal. Based on the food alone, I would certainly go back. (Although I might skip the $3 meager portion of bacon next time around.) The service though...oh, where do I start. From the very beginning, our server just seemed like she was in the worst mood. She wasn't friendly at all, and she was extremely slow to get anything. For example, we ordered a mimosa bong. She brought out 3-4 glasses and said she'd be back with more glasses for the rest of our group. We waited so long that those of us who had gotten a glass were starting to fill up our second mimosa, and still no glasses for the remainder of our group. Since we were seated near the bar, we just asked the bartender for some additional glasses. (To her credit, the bartender was lovely! So friendly! Please, come be our server!) The food came out, and had none of the usual "extras" you would expect, like syrup, salt, pepper, etc. Again, this required more waiting as our server scowled, slunk back into the kitchen, and presumably checked and updated her facebook before coming back out with what we requested. It just felt like every request we had was such a burden to her. And granted, we had a lot of requests when our food came out, but come on. You're serving eggs, grits, potatoes, and pancakes. People usually want salt, pepper, butter, ketchup, and syrup with these things! And while the service was slow, I also don't understand why Automatic Slim's doesn't just make it a little easier on their wait staff by already having some of this stuff out on the table. You can tell by the decor of Slim's that they're going for a certain "look", but when every other table in your restaurant has a giant 3 foot mimosa bong sitting on it, just swallow your hipster pride and put some damn salt and pepper shakers out on the table, okay? So, like I said, good food, bad service. I hope our server was able to remove whatever was firmly lodged up her arse.
(2)Jeremy L.
It was just okay for brunch. I did like the service and atmosphere. The food was just okay. I got the biscuits and gravy and eggs. Wouldn't get that again. it was almost like a smear of butter on it vs. gravy. I will say, the biscuit was pretty yummy.
(3)Jennifer V.
Very nice place to eat. Great food, reasonable prices, great location and great service.
(5)Anastacia S.
This is a review for their brunch, I've never been in the evening but for brunch Automatic Slim's ROCKS! They serve a double mimosa in a large red wine glass - CHECK! Mimosa comes with your brunch order - CHECK! The food is GOOD - CHECK! It has an upscale feel making it perfect to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or bachlorette party, but it isn't TOO upscale so you don't feel bad having a Sunday Funday here. Reservations for brunch strongly recommended, it does get busy especially later in the afternoon on the weekends.
(4)H. W.
New place with good food, creative drinks/martini's and great music! Will def. be back during my next trip to Memphis.
(4)Hugh W.
We had a great experience at Slim's. Our waitress Alex was always one step ahead of us. The food, atmosphere and service was top notch. Definitely coming back with some friends so we can try the 100oz mimosa bong!
(4)Susan T.
The food is bland; the service slow and servers disinterested. Cheesy grits were good, biscuits doughy, gravy portion miniscule. A bartender, a hostess, and four waitresses for six tables made the service especially hard to bear.
(2)Erica B.
Automatic Slim's is one of the only places downtown- hell, it might be the only place downtown- that isn't packed to the gills with drunken fools on Friday and Saturday nights. Mind boggling because they are open late and have some kick ass martinis. This was a huge draw for a friend and I last Saturday night as we wanted to be able to hold a conversation, but still wanted a drink on a weekend downtown. If you're looking for that place- this is it. I never could wrap my head around the random low reviews of this spot. I used to come here pretty regularly when I worked in the Peabody Hotel. The food was always spot on and the drinks even better. It's got the perfect mixture of upscale and dive bar in that it is a really swank interior space, but it has the homey feel of a dive bar. The bartenders here are super friendly and great to converse with. The food this particular evening was a great experience. I had the crab cakes- delicious. Possibly the best I've had yet in Memphis. My friend is a vegan and they changed a menu item to accommodate her needs, no questions asked. Pretty stellar. My key lime pie martini was killer. If you go, ask for Cody (also find out if his name is spelled with a 'c' or a 'k' so I can properly address him!) he'll take good care of you.
(4)April L.
Came here only for bloody Mary's and Mimosas. They were both delicious. Fresh squeezed OJ for the mimosas, and 2.50 house bloody Mary's that were awesome. The girls behind the bar were friendly and personable.
(4)Molly H.
The food here was delicious. The tuna was my favorite, the house made chips are also incredible! The only problem I have is with the service... or rather a single server last night, Bailey. We were there for martini night ($3 martinis on Monday) and had ordered food as well, the bill was well over $100. One of my co-workers ordered a martini that had a bright pink lipstick mark on the glass. When we brought this to our waitresses attention she seemed annoyed that we would even ask for a new glass. When she returned with the martini in a new glass she didn't apologize. When we ordered our last drink, one of the martinis tasted very watered down and we asked for another. She was rude when she said since it's only $3 they don't take them off of our bill. We asked for another one then and she rolled her eyes and picked up the watered down martini and took it away. She brought back another one and placed it on our table unhappily. When we finally got the check we saw she had automatically given herself a 20% tip! There were only 4 of us at the table and we were all on one bill, when we asked why she said sometimes the computer automatically tips them but she could get her manager if it was a problem... we didn't but I do wish we did. For going there and spending that kind of money, you would think that the staff would be a little friendlier to the tables... but I guess no need if you'll get a 20% tip whether you're a good server or not.
(3)Clark P.
Haven't loved automatic slim's in the past but brunch today was my FAVORITE in a long time. The chef special was chicken biscuits with raspberry jam. So flipping good! Don't miss out.
(5)Kendall S.
Sub-par food, sub-par service at best. My husband and I went for brunch; our very first brunch experience since moving to Memphis at that, and what a major disappointment. My husband ordered a scramble and the portion size filled maybe one third of the plate. It didn't come with anything with it, either and it took him about four bites to eat. No lie. I had to ask twice for syrup with my waffle, then they didn't have ramekins to bring it out, so they awkwardly brought me the bottle from the kitchen, watched me pour a little and took it back. I asked for crispy bacon, the waiter repeated it back to me, and when they brought our food out, it was completely chewy and limp. I never got the salt and pepper I asked for --- They don't have that on the table or anything else for that matter (No napkins, sweet-n-low, etc.) This would make sense if it was a formal place, but it's not. To top it all off, they didn't have to-go lids for drinks. It was just one thing after another. The food's taste did not make up for any of the other downfalls. It was bland and nothing special for paying $35 for a tiny breakfast. We will never go back.
(2)Michelle S.
It's ok. The risotto was just cooked rice. It was ok. Not sure if this is just food for Memphis or this is Memphis food. Bonus is..the atmosphere is great.
(2)Caitlin M.
I rarely write a bad review, but I had brunch here today and have only 1 good thing to say: $2.50 mimosas. I had the crab cakes benedict and the only thing on the plate that had any flavor was the crab cake. The eggs were bad, the potatoes were bad, the hollandaise was bad. And there wasn't any salt on the table to improve any of it. Also, my friend got a side of bacon. $3 for 2 small pieces. I won't be back.
(1)Colleen G.
If I could, I'd give it 3.5 stars. Automatic Slim's was one of those places I passed by a zillion times and never ate there. Finally, I decided to try it out a few weeks ago. I will give credit where it is due: happy hour is where it's at here. They have a bunch of martinis, and during happy hour they are $5. They also have discounted appetizers. The martinis are good. I had a pomegranate and a Caribbean, both were delicious. Our dinner? For what we paid, I don't feel like we got a great deal out of it. The coconut shrimp appetizer is a joke. Two shrimp. Really, that's all. I had serious remorse after I saw other appetizers go by. I had the scallops for dinner, and they were good, although I don't think they were cleaned very well, since there was a nasty, gritty feeling as I ate them. It discouraged me from finishing my meal, which was a disappointment. The steak and eggs were a small portion. Nothing special, according to my husband. Dessert: okay. Again, nothing special. Our server only told us two dessert options, and after we ordered both, we overheard another server telling her table about more desserts... Not fair! I would have ordered creme brulee, if I knew they had it. Overall, I think for dinner, it is a bit overpriced. I like the place, it's got a cool vibe about it. But for me, I think happy hour is about where I'll stop.
(3)SouthernFoodie M.
We were reluctant to try it based on reviews. However, I'd definitely go back! The $5 martinis were small... But tasty!! We enjoyed. :) the chips and fondue was so darn good. I had shrimp and grits. The dish was not served as hot, and the shrimp were a little over cooked. Still delish!! We also were able to get a 20% discount after eating because they give a post Orpheum discount. Great time!
(4)Alex E.
I go there after work with coworkers for a drink and end up trying their appetizers. EVERYTHING TASTES GREAT. Especially the crab cakes. Become a regular and you might just get a deal as well
(5)Charles C.
Cool atmosphere--definitely a good place to stop for drinks anytime day or night. And the location is great considering it's located right in the middle of downtown. As for the food, it consistently falls in the good not great category. Haven't been for dinner in a while but hit brunch somewhat regularly. We're always satisfied with the meals, but never walk away wowed. I can't put my finger on it, but anytime we walk in and look at the menu, we get excited at the possibilities, then remind ourselves not to let expectations get too far out front. We did have an opportunity to see the mimosa bong today at another table. Quite impressive and adds to the frivolity of Sunday brunch, which is a good thing in downtown Memphis. Staff is friendly and helpful. Side note--men's restroom today wasn't looking too clean. May seem like a tough thing to ding a restaurant on, but it does make me wonder about cleanliness elsewhere when a restaurant can't keep the bathrooms clean, especially in a place that's supposed to be above the median fare. Bottom line, we consider this a solid not spectacular brunch go to place downtown for food when we can't really decide on anything else. It has, however, fallen off the "have to go" rotation if/when friends and family come to town. It used to be a definite dinner and drinks or brunch and drinks jump off point. Now, we're more inclined to stop in for a cocktail but skip the food. Is it ingredients or kitchen talent? Don't know, but our meals always seem stuck in third gear.
(3)toni G.
Saw the brunch menu and thought we would try it out. Went in looking for suggestions as to what to try. They are known for their 2.50 mimosas and bloody Mary's. Mimosa was very good. Overheard another waitress telling another table about the special Bloody Mary they had instead of the regular 2.50 special. Only when asked did our waitress tell us about it. It was just ok....not spicy enough. Went with the waitress suggestion of the bananas foster French toast. Also ordered the scrambled eggs, potato hash, and biscuits and gravy. We also ordered the red velvet pancakes just to try something different. The hash was just cut up potatoes with some onions. but it was good. The biscuits and gravy were very good but not enough gravy at all. The whole plate was luke warm at best. Sent that back and when it came out a little hotter it was much better. French toast was luke warm as well. Good, but not enough sauce. Red velvet pancakes were good, but very dry as there was not enough topping on them either.Waitress was not very friendly, but other waitresses were, so maybe it was just an off day. Prices were ok, but not for luke warm food. Would try someplace new next time.
(3)Tara B.
Grilled cheese sampler was delightful. Everyone enjoyed their meals and best of all our waitress was so incredibly friendly and nice! I hear the martinis are cheap during happy hour- I may have to check it out next time I'm in town.
(4)Tyron H.
This was a great restaurant. The service was nice and the food was great. I got the chicken and waffles with a side of the cinnamon roll cream. Simply AMAZING!!
(4)Ken R.
Earlier, I mentioned that a jerk-sauced cheeseburger was the first plate of food that I ate at Automatic Slim's. As much as I wanted to have it again, it is no longer on the menu. In its place is the Slim's Burger, loaded with smoked Gouda, caramelized onions (called "onion jam" on the menu), roasted tomatoes and bacon within a sourdough bun. The onions are dominant in the cheeseburger, contributing to a tangy aroma. The fresh sourdough bun is soft and meshes well with everything else in the cheeseburger. On the day that I got it, the restaurant cooked the burger the way I wanted (medium rare) that was indicative in appearance and taste. The end result was something almost as good as its predecessor. The burger comes with Automatic Slim's potato chips that were good enough to support the cheeseburger despite being a little overcooked for my taste. Overall, the Slim's Burger (available only from the lunch menu) is a really good cheeseburger that can hold its own with the best in Memphis. To read the entire review, go to kensfoodfind.com/2013/08…
(4)Amanda N.
This place was amazing!!! I've been to Memphis 5 times and I am disappointed I didn't find it sooner. Food was great, bloody Mary's were fantastic and service was super friendly! I will be coming back next time I am in the area! Great find!
(5)Cassie M.
We stumbled in after a long day of being touristy and doing a lot of walking around downtown Memphis. I wanted to sit and enjoy a drink and I came to the right place. We fancied ourselves in the front window on some comfy couches and it just so happened to be happy hour. $5 martini's and quite a list to choose from. Something I had never had was alcohol infused whipped cream. It was more potent than an actual shot! The strawberry shortcake had a graham cracker rimmed glass. Also enjoyed a creamcicle, a german chocolate cake and chocolate martini's.
(4)Laura D.
We stopped by this restaurant after looking at their menu posted outside. I was excited when we came in, the decor was great. The excitement ended there. Service was lacking, in his defense I will chalk it up to being "green" and poorly trained.My martini was well executed, but took about 15 min to get as I was told I would have to wait due to a party upstairs being taken care of. The place was relatively empty so I was left wondering how long it would have taken had they actually been busy. Then there is the food. We were curious if the chef even tastes anything, no seasoning whatsoever.My husband had the caprese salad to start, not good. He pointed out, if it is a bad year for fresh tomatoes, then don't put it on the menu.My beet salad was just okay. His lamb, while cooked well, offered very little meat. The risotto was a joke, obviously precooked with the consistency of badly executed oatmeal, also covered (very covered) with "tobacco onions" (?) that had no flavor whatsoever. My ribeye was just so so, I didn't even really bother with the bland veggies. For $130 for dinner for two it was disappointing to say the least. Perhaps if the service and food got as much attention as the decor there would be a good improvement. Fortunately we had a dinner the following night at Erling Jensens that more than made up for everything. We will go back there for sure on our next visit. Automatic Slims, no way.
(1)Dominique N.
Not sure why other reviews are so negative, but this place came highly recommended and didn't disappoint! Visited with a group of 4 girlfriends and we had an odd assortment of food - some of us hadn't had dinner and so tried their appetizers / light salads. Their seared tuna salad, while a little pricey at $12, was fantastic. So fresh and lots of tuna on top. While I didn't try the drinks, my friends put down several martinis and wine glasses and seemed to like them. (Longest martini menu I've ever seen) But the best part was their dessert! We all shared this fantastic confection that had chocolate ganache, peanut butter, marshmallow and whipped cream. It sounded awesome and tasted even better! I've never had anything else like it - you gotta go just for this!
(4)Becca S.
Fabulous for Sunday brunch! I wish we hadn't been driving out that morning or I'd have had a $2.50 bloody mary AND a mimosa. My breakfast was delicious though. I had the Slim's Scramble which had chorizo and their homemade potato hash. We were there around 11 on Sunday and it was nearly empty, but I'm not sure why. The service was quick and the food was piping hot. Plus there were loads of lounge areas around if you wanted to stay and sip your coffee or a drink after you ate.
(4)Jenny D.
I'm not sure what is up with the bad reviews. We had a great meal, excellent martinis, attentive service, in a modern, attractive restaurant. Not sure what else you could ask for!
(5)Mike J.
Been there twice now in the last two weeks. First was a late Saturday afternoon lunch with Poopsie. We both thought it was great. I had a soup which was really good. Service was good and it was reasonably priced. Next time was late Saturday night after the music fest. Surprised to find nobody in there, but they still had their late night menu. This time I was with Zippy and a couple of friends. Zippy and I each had a soup and split a chicken sandwich. Nothing fancy, but again real good. Our friends split a tenderloin and dumpling appetizers. They really enjoyed it and especially raved about the steak. Again great service - considering we were the only ones there, it was expected I guess. J-9 was really impressed with the martini menu - about 4 times the size of the food menu. She had a snickers martini and liked it. One thing that stands out a bit is the decor. It was trendy once and probably still could be, but there are many little things kind of worn out that need updating. Anyway, it worked out good for us both times.
(4)Keith T.
Recently had brunch at Automatic Slims before a U of M basketball game. Picked this restaurant for the $2.50 mimosas which were great. Service was good. The brunch menu looked and the food for the most part was well thought out but everything was served cold! I had the crawfish eggs benedict which would have been spectactular had the entire dish not been cold. My wife had the bananas french toast and this dish was also cold. There is potential for a really good experience but they just need to watch the quality of the food they are serving. Probably will not go back as there are other options considering the food cost.
(2)Steven K.
I'll ditto all the positive reviews below and am dumbfounded by the negs. Kudos to the wine list: go for the Argentinian Malbec! We were a party of five and everyone was very happy with all the selections. Check the website above for menu details. I'm sure there is something you'll like.
(4)Erin H.
I was here for lunch with a big group of people, and we were the only people there. I ordered a salad with avocado and beef tenderloin. Unfortunately the avocado was brown and overripe, and I can't believe I'm saying this, the tenderloin was chewy and had no taste. I didn't even finish it. I guess the burger would be a better bet, but I am wary of places that can't make a nice salad and mess up tenderloin. I don't know if I'll be going back.
(2)Alma E.
Came across this place after checking into our hotel, we were sold on the $5 "martini" happy hour menu. The decor of the place is pretty sweet. The martini menu was extensive, I would recommend the Tennessee martini. The service was good, a little slow by my local California standards but also inexpensive by the same standards. I ordered the mushroom flat bread and a Caesar salad, both were satisfying. I was happy that my first meal in Memphis was so vegetarian friendly. I would come back here again, only if I ever find myself in town again.
(3)Kathleen H.
I really like this place. They have a well stocked bar, a decent wine selection and a diverse menu with lots of options. It's probably on the trendy side, but I found it to be a comfortable place to dine solo on a weekday evening. The service was great- prompt but not rushed. My only complaint is the portion size for the mains. They are huge! I know this restaurant is probably priced a bit high for Memphis, but I would have been perfectly happy paying the same price for my entree if it had 25% less food. If you aren't very hungry, go with two starters or ask the waiter about the portions.
(4)Husni E.
Overpriced...food was too greasy and their chips were SOAKED in oil.
(1)Jessica M.
Found this place by googling restaurants in Memphis & we were super pleased with the food, atmosphere & service! It's a trendy little spot in down town Memphis, very different from all the fast food stuff around there. They have a great happy hour & brunch menu, great to stop in for just a cocktail even. I got the banana foster French toast, delish! And my friend has a ton of food allergies, she got the burger & they were extremely accommodating to all of her needs! Will def go back when we visit again!
(3)Buffy V.
Worst meal Ive had in a long time. I use to eat here in the 90's and remember it being much better. The black bean soup had under cooked beans in it with a gross blob of "pace" on top. The salad was drenched in dressing and unedible! The seared tuna entre was frozen tuna with NO taste. It was coated in sesame seeds with a white drizzel of something? A poor TGI Fridays meal at best! I can't belive they have the nerve to charge $24 for frozen tuna!!! Horrible!!!!
(1)Ethan B.
We sat at the bar and drank martinis for about an hour and a half on a Monday night last week. We didn't eat so we can't speak to the food, but the martinis were expertly prepared, and the bartender was attentive without being overbearing. We grabbed a couple of $5 happy hour martinis each before heading off to dinner. A good time.
(4)N. P.
I like the look of this place -- I'm a sucker for packaging. And the martini menu is insane -- literally flavor that you can think of. I like the Butterfinger, personally. The food is above-average. Really tasty -- kind of an interesting menu -- there's a smattering of Asian, some sort of Caribbean fusion. I enjoy the char-grilled Thai beef salad. Super-tasty, with a lovely combination of green herbs like cilantro and mint with lime zest.
(4)Jake F.
Four stars because I have only eaten the Sunday Brunch. Open faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten downtown. I've been back several times since my first visit but can't seem to make myself order anything else. they also have tasty bloody mary's for $2.50 at brunch I don't know about some of the less positive reviews, as I have only eaten there during Brunch, and it was not busy. However, it should have been busy... Friendly staff Great food
(4)Eder C.
Boring food and bad service
(2)Leah A.
seriously, i'm on vacation and i'm writing a yelp review. because i feel it is that necessary. the food, thank heaven, was fantastic. really excellent. everyone at the table loved their food. here are the top 5 reasons this joint is getting low-starred (there are WAY MORE than 5 reasons): 1. the server was awful. plain awful. when you screw up, just admit it. he couldn't have known he was waiting on a table of all industry folks, but come on....i've heard the 'the kitchen screwed up the tickets' line all too often from my own staff--i know you're lying. 2. owner stopped by--we're on vacation, we ask her for a joint for blues, and she tries to send us to the bar she owns down the street--that doesn't have live music. bad form. 3. when we asked for the check, the server couldn't get it to us fast enough. it was the only thing he did quickly. 4. when the check was brought, we were charged for apps that arrived 55 minutes after we ordered them and AFTER our entrees had been dropped at the table. i told him i absolutely was not going to pay for apps that arrived after my meal. 5. i shouldn't have a bad dining experience on my birthday weekend. and i did. the food was fantastic. this place would be awful if it wasn't for the delicious food. but do yourself a favor and make sure joe is your server when you go....i tipped him on the way out, he deserved it.
(2)D W.
Named for a Beale Street bluesman, this trendy bar / restaurant is located across from the Peabody downtown Memphis. Slims is a trendy, higher priced restaurant centered around a bar with unique (and very good) drink options and some great appetizers. WIth all of the barbeque options, Automatic Slims is a nice change. Tables and banquettes downstairs provide a good view of the long bar, where locals line up to meet and drink the martinis. The food is a combination of Caribbean and Southwestern, with some good options such as coconut mango shrimp, For sides, the tobacco onion rings arent bad and the wedge salad is good (see photo). I would agree with the mixed reviews - this place is like a roller coaster with service and entrees. Some times you will rave - others...well you will write a review like Amy C. Go for the appetizers and a great drink at one of the booths or the bar - then walk down the street to one of a number of consistently good restaurants.
(3)