Tsunami Restaurant
928 S Cooper St, Memphis, TN, 38104
Tsunami Restaurant Menu
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Address :
928 S Cooper St
Memphis, TN, 38104 - Phone (901) 274-2556
- Website https://www.tsunamimemphis.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:30 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
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
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Dean D.
Tsunami Restaurant is a midtown favorite of mine and I have never left disappointed. Their menu changes from time to time but some of the regular items I'd highly recommend are the Sea Bass, Dates Wrapped in Bacon and their Mussel appetizer. Like many restaurants in the Cooper Young area, Tsunami has also introduced a small plate menu. The decor is on the trendy side but still comfortable and romantic. I have only one negative comment and that's the cranberry and vodka I ordered while waiting for our table. It tasted watered down. I tried another with Belvedere Vodka and still was disappointed. I think the cranberry juice was the problem.
(4)Elle S.
Just like the 3 stars say: I thought this place was A-OK... I thought it was way over priced for what it provides, but it definitely has a cute nice ambiance. We had the nacho tuna appetizer, it was good, very spicy. I got the shrimp with the coconut cream and rice, it was good, but 20$? No. The BF had the scallops, they were ok, but 23-25$? No. It was way too bland, nothing great. For Thai food it's too $$ and not enough flavor to back it up. I could have had a similar experience at Bon Thai for cheaper, and Bon Thai's food has more flavor. I will not come back here if I had to choose.
(3)Jolynna M.
Memphis dining just doesn't get any better. Chef Ben Smith of Tsunami is a culinary talent our city is fortunate to have. As Tanya T already mentioned, the Sea Bass here is amazing. It is, hands down, the best I've ever had. It's roasted (perfectly) and served on a bed of black rice with a soy beurre blanc sauce. It's rich, yet subtle and the flavors come together in a manner nothing short of perfection. You'll also want to try the "Izakaya" (ee-ZAH-key-ah) which is basically Japanese tapas -.wonderful little nibbles like Asian Nachos, Bacon Wrapped Dates and (my favorite) Wasabi Peas. All served on small plates to pass around and share with your friends. Another personal favorite on the dinner menu is the Spicy Seafood Tostada. It's served with the salsa of the day, black beans and chipotle cream sauce. It's delicious. Hats off to you, Chef Ben. My taste buds thank you.
(5)Misty R.
By far one of my all time favorites in Memphis. We come here for special occasions or to meet friends for a drink. We ate here the night we got engaged. I always get the small plates which change regularly. They are usually fish dishes. I recently got the sea bass with rice. I also like the shrimp potstickers app and the spinach salad. This is a rare find in the city and is not overly pricey.
(5)Anne H.
I like to make my friend's try new asian cuisines for my birthday dinners however, this year I decided to make it easy on them by picking Tsunami. We had a great meal on a Friday night on the patio. I've been there before and had the awesome caesar salad but I had been dreaming of curried mussels for a week before our dinner. The bread brought out to your table is awesome too - or as I thought of it, the vehicle for me to sop up more curry broth! The mussels were fabulous and everyone loved their entrees. One of the friends really doesn't like fish but since the menu changes regularly she always finds a preparation that she likes. It doesn't get any better than good food, good wine, great service for a special meal!
(5)David N.
Just went last week (may '08.) Great visit. Helpful service, cool light atmosphere, and excellent entrees. Had the famous sea bass and it was among the best I've ever had. Wife had the Ono special and the spinach salad with the soy-ginger vinegarette - both highly recommended. We didn't have the calamari app, but a lot of people around us seemed to be digging it. Couldn't drink as I was on call, but next time looking forward to hitting the wine list. Overall, easy top 10 - Memphis.
(4)Harriett R.
I never imagined I would find one of the best restaurants ever in Memphis! (No offense, Memphis). Twice in four days my daughter and I ate at Tsunami and had outstanding dinners. I have never had fish so perfectly prepared and I live on the coast in northern California and thought I'd had the best. The sea bass is amazing, but we also tried their salmon and sea scallops. All fantastic. We also tried the beef tenderloin. It, too, was cooked as ordered and to perfection. Small plates are nearly the size of entrees. Nice wine list and server was right on with her recommendations. Friendly, prompt service. Desserts are incredible, too: chocolate lava cake, lemon grass ice cream, ginger doughnuts with coconut ice cream. And here's my only minus -- and most people wouldn't call it a minus. The dessert portions are just way too big. I ordered ginger doughnuts with coconut ice cream. I would have been happy with one third the serving (and wouldn't have had to leave the rest uneaten, sadly). Maybe they could provide "small plates" options for dessert?
(5)Chris M.
Another great dinner at Tsunami! Called around 7pm needing an eight o'clock reservation for 9 people. Turns out it's a good spot for a group. When we got there the table was ready and we were seated right away. Everybody ordered two or three items that we all shared. The food and the service was right on and everyone enjoyed the evening. Thanks Tsunami.
(4)Brittney H.
We haven't been in awhile, but I love this place for date night! We always order the bacon wrapped dates and I get the sea bass! :) Check them out! They have a pretty cool little bar area, too! Always friendly staff!
(4)Adie M.
Hadn't been to this gem of a restaurant in a few years, and I was happy to reacquaint myself recently. I met my date early enough that the restaurant wasn't too crowded, which was good because it is rather small and the tables are close together. We started with the mussels and the calamari, both which were good. I liked the amount of spice, but those who are sensitive about heat might think twice before ordering. We did have to ask several times for more bread - they dole it out one piece at a time, but we were using it to soak up the yummy curry broth on the mussels and kept running out. Followed up the apps by sharing the black bean soup and the papaya salad. Soup was tasty, but the salad was a let down. Mostly arugula with a few bits of papaya as more of a garnish. This is a fave dish of mine and I was eager to taste Tsunami's version, but I should have ordered an old fave - the spinach salad with goat cheese. Entrees - shared the sea bass and the tuna with cucumber. The sea bass was fantastic (another old fave), though the portion smaller than what I remembered. It's a good dish to share because it is quite rich (dieters, beware!). The tuna, though, was another disappointment. The whole dish lacked seasoning, especially the cucumber salad. No salt on the table for a quick fix, either. Most of that went into the to-go box. Overall, it was a nice meal, but didn't live up to my memory of the place. For the price and the reputation, I was expecting a bit more.
(3)Gillian H.
This place is the whole package tied up with a big fat (chocolate cake) bow!! Came in on a whim earlier in the evening -- it was empty. Packed by the time we left. We are all over the menu and enjoyed it all. Typically we find that one restaurant does a particular course better than anything else they do -- not the case here. Everything we had was top quality. Of special note were our desserts: we shared the ginger donuts and chocolate cake. Both were amazeballs. It's a return for sure!
(4)Joelle P.
Yummmmmmmmm. I had to update to 4 stars because my last couple of visits have been phenomenal.
(4)Caroline V.
This is a great spot in Midtown for an intimate dinner with stellar service. The decor hasn't changed much over the years (at least to my eye), but it still looks upscale and just a touch funky. Being vegetarian, I am sure I am missing out on the seafood party here, but I really enjoy the beet salad and the black bean soup (which is assertively spicy). The last time I went, one of my dining companions complained that her duck, which was glazed and served with apples and maybe sweet potatoes, was overly sweet -- but that's the only complaint I've ever heard from anyone I've dined with there. Last thing: GINGER DONUTS. Do NOT be led astray by any of the other enticing dessert offerings. The ginger donuts are the clear winner, and not to be missed. I'd go just to order a bottle of Prosecco and a plate of those donuts. Do it. You know you want to!
(4)Mary Kate M.
Tsunami is one of those fantastical places you can go on a date, take your parents, or celebrate a celebration that deserves to be celebrated. You are not going to walk out of here without spending at least $70 if you want a good meal and to take home the full experience... plus you can't dine without the wine! Here is my advice for having a solid experience at Tsunami - get an app, 2 small plates, an entree, along with either a bottle of wine to split or share a dessert. It all depends on what you are after. This advice is being given on the thought of two people sharing a meal. They offer tapas, therefore make this a tapas meal worth sharing. IF you are feeling more adventurous, get 3 tapas sans one of the main entrees and go with the bottle of wine anyway. The meal and the ambiance are mood perfect for wine. Plus service has always been more than stellar when I've gone. Last piece of advice, leave the kids at home so you don't spoil it for the rest of the patrons. This isn't a kid place. Take this from someone who celebrated her birthday and a couple of anniversaries there.
(4)Christianne B.
At no point in my meal was I disappointed in the service nor the food. Was in Memphis for the weekend and decided on Tsunami based on local recommendations. We ordered cocktails and an appetizer of the mussels. Our cocktails were PERFECT! I had the bourbon cocktail, while my boyfriend had the Hendricks martini. I was very pleased with the generous portion of mussels, as well as the sauce they came with. For our entrees, I had the fish tacos and my boyfriend had the sea bass. The sea bass was excellent, I would highly recommend them. It's the sauce that it comes on that really makes the dish. I was in the mood for fish tacos, and mine were delicious. If I ever find myself back in Memphis I would definitely return and try a different entree, o had a hard time choosing. We also had dessert, a ginger cake with pumpkin spice ice cream. Likely a seasonal dessert, but the cake was moist and delicious. Overall, great meal!
(5)Mary H.
Tsunami is one of all my all time favorite restaurants anywhere. The Menu never disappoints but the Sea Bass and black sticky rice with Soy Beurre blanc is to die for. The Ginger donuts with Coconut Sorbet is the perfect light dessert. The staff is extremely professional and provide a perfect dining experience whether a Birthday celebration or an intimate Dinner for 2.
(5)Paul H.
The Best Ever!! The best fish, tapas, salads, creme brulee and much more. I've liked everything I've ever had here for over 15 years.
(5)Emily Y.
I will dream about Tsunami's sea bass until I am so fortunate as to dine here again. All around a delightful experience - great company, attentive service, fantastic food. Was a huge fan of the St. Germain cocktail (and its generous pour) as well as the bacon-wrapped dates, mussels, and fried calamari. My sea bass needs no other description other than, if you upset me, it's your "get out of jail free card." I could bathe in the "beurre blanc" sauce that comes with it. My fellow diners truly enjoyed their beef tenderloin entree and duck small plates. Excited to return!
(4)Kyle C.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Memphis. The Cooper-Young neighborhood has numerous offerings; however, Tsunami always stands out at the top of the list -- both in the neighborhood and in the city. The backbone of this restaurant is good, fresh seafood. Several fish options, scallops, and shrimp always abound on the menu. There's always a beef option on the menu for the less adventurous or non-seagoing member of your party (not to mention that it is absolutely fantastic!). Another great thing about this restaurant is that it offers four different sizes of food options: izakaya (small appetizers - for just a couple of bites), appetizers, small plates (mini-entrees), and entrees. For the izakaya, - the Asian nachos, wasabi deviled eggs, and fried blue cheese stuffed olives always seem to make their way onto our table. For salads/soups, I always, always go for the black bean soup. The small plates rotate more than anything else on the menu, so they are ever-changing, but nonetheless exquisitely delicious. The mainstays on the entree menu that you should definitely try: the roasted sea bass on black Thai rice (their signature dish); spice-crusted tuna seared rare on a thinly shaved cucumber salad; and the hot & pungent shrimp in coconut milk. The service is incredibly adequate, and you will never be left wanting for anything. All of the servers are nice, knowledgable, and not the least bit pretentious. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has an eclectic flair that will have you telling your friends about it. A big plus -- it's LOCAL! No chain restaurants here with all of the "corporate" feeling that often accompanies. To summarize: Incredible food. Incredible chef (kudos to Ben Smith). Incredible staff. Incredible neighborhood. Five stars.
(5)Morgan R.
Good food. Good wine. Good beer. Good drinks. Good apps. Good fish. Good staff. Good chef. Good times. Good stuff.
(5)Debra C.
I discovered this place by looking @ Yelp! I was fantastic! The food was inventive, fresh & delicious! The Bee Martini was excellent!
(5)H H.
This is one of my favorite places in memphis! I love that you can get small plates. They switch them out on a regular basis. Love trying new things and the service and food never disappoints.
(5)steve l.
There are lots of great restaurants in Memphis, Tsunami is still the best. I've eaten there a dozen times -- never a bad experience. The food is great but not fussy, it's expensive but fair, the service is always right.
(5)Leah Beth B.
I live near Tsunami and always seemed to skip over it because it's so little you near miss it every time you walk by. But thanks to my friend Kim's suggestion, we decided to make a reservation and try it out. Instead of doing a full meal, we decided to split some appetizers. We started with the spicy shrimp potstickers with chile-soy dipping sauce and the asian nachos. Both were delicious, although the potstickers were what you'd expect from....well, potstickers. The nachos were my favorite. They had a piece of seared tuna on a tortilla chip, topped with a fresh jalapeño and some sort of spicy ranch sauce. Let me be clear that when I say appetizers, I mean there were like, four chips, which is why we opted to end with a warm red cabbage salad with Dana blue cheese & walnuts. Equally delicious. I'd suggest making a reservation if you're planning on dining during the weekend. The tables are quite close together, but I enjoyed the ambience. Next time I'll try to sit on the more open side of the restaurant.
(4)Kimberly Q.
One of the best restaurants in Memphis. Skip the calamari. Go with a salad the green and spinach are very good. The salmon and lamb were delicious. Great date spot!
(5)Lisa G.
delete!! mistake!!
(5)Lawrence C.
What a wonderful dining experience. This was a find based on yelp reviews, and my correspondence with Memphis yelper Jolynna M. ....Thanks!!! This restaurant offers small plates, half portions, and full entrees. The four of us ordered what we each wanted, and judging by the portions, we were all satisfied. The presentation was impressive, as was the quality. Starters/small plates we ordered included: Sizzling shrimp, $10; Shrimp toast, $9; and Black bean soup, $7. Small portioned plates ordered: Scallops, $16; Flank steak, $18; Salmon, $16; and Mahi mahi, $17. Dessert ordered for the four of us were two orders of their Stout cake, $8. Prices were reasonable. There was a good selection of wines by the glass, mostly at $8. We were pretty well taken care of by our waiter. Bottom line: I'd return.
(4)N. P.
This is an excellent restaurant that tries to accommodate those of us with food allergies. Hard-to-find in restaurants, even today. The service is excellent, the food is delicious. I had the tuna with wasabi dressing and cucumber salad and my husband had the scallops. The seafood was cooked perfectly, and very high-quality. The flavors were really delicious. For dessert we had the root beer float with coconut cream sorbet. I walked away a happy camper and so thankful that they graciously made some changes to my main course to make it something that I could have. Thank you so much, Tsunami, for helping my husband and I have a wonderful, worry-free, allergy-wise, date night at a lovely place -- loved the ambiance and the art on the walls. We will be back.
(5)Michelle W.
If I could afford to eat dinner out every night, I would eat at Tsunami. It has been a favorite of mine for about 2 years now. I dine there are least once a month and have a wonderful evening every time. This past Saturday night did not disappoint. The tuna nacho appetizer is something I order everything I go. It is a must have. I also tried the shrimp vermicelli appetizer for the first time. It was fantastic. I always order off the ever changing small plate menu. Saturday night I enjoyed the delicious tuna selection. Not a bite was left on the plate. The servers are wonderful and the bartender is even better. I had the pleasure of enjoying the patio as well. Tsunami is my favorite place to eat in Memphis and I look forward to next time.
(5)Jim W.
I agree that the chef here is very talented. The mussels and the beet salad were exceptional. My wife's mahi-mahi was very good. The meal had only one thing that had me a bit disappointed, and that was the sea bass. I ordered it because a Yelper said it was the best she'd ever had. It was cooked perfectly, but was accompanied by a butter sauce that had very little else to offer for such a "sauceable" fish. And that sentiment comes from someone who loves butter in all its uses. It was not the best I'd ever had. The dish really needed more flavor IMHO. Something savory perhaps. I realize that it's not likely that they're about to change a signature dish like that based upon my Yelp review. But you could try it as-is, then if you agree with my tastes, send it back for the chef to put it over the top with something extra, which I believe he could. It would be outstanding then! I didn't think to do so at the time (I really wish I had), nor was I encouraged in that direction... The waitress, although seasoned, patient and helpful with ordering, seemed to just go through the serving motions quickly. In particular, after we got our entrée, she returned in what seemed like one minute to ask, "how is it?" (or similar), before I had barely a bite, and a chance to evaluate the taste of the dish. Waitresses and waiters: Don't do that!! -- or come back a second time to check! I don't know yet! I answered her, "as far as I can tell so far", leaving a hint and an 'out' in case it was flawed. But she scooted away immediately and wasn't around when I eventually had to get up and ask the manager for salt (hoping that would help). THEN she reappeared pronto, but didn't ask why it needed salt, or if I was unhappy with my entrée. I think most people find it hard to complain about a well prepared dish (I know I do), thinking that it's their own personal taste that's wrong, or, after all, it was they who ordered the dish in the first place. But it really is a crap-shoot! How are you supposed to know the flavors ahead of time?? Waitresses and waiters: #2 - ask the customer, sincerely, "Are you *100%* satisfied with what you ordered?" Offer to make it right if not. Then pay attention, to body language too. THIS will encourage them to complain, and you will understand the diner's true feelings. If you want to know them, that is -- it may result in more work should you need to fix whatever. Insight: There's a difference between everything being "ok" and everything being outstanding. So don't ask if "everything's ok". Ask if there's anything that's NOT ok!! That will reveal the opportunity to satisfy the customer completely. I would have loved to have given Tsunami a 5-star review, but it wasn't perfect. I encourage you to try it though. There were a lot of things about this restaurant that were great!
(4)Fariha H.
Hmm... after getting a recommendation for this place by a friend, and then reading up all the hype about it in yelp and Memphis magazine my husband and I decided it would be a good place to dine on valentines day. The whole experience was merely 'meh' and left us wishing that we'd just gone to a generic chain restaurant instead. I'd made a reservation and we were seated right away. However, from that point on the level of service fell flat. The waiter gave us glasses of water and the menu, and then went missing for about 15 minutes. The hostess took pity on us and served us some cold starter bread, which was whole wheat and soft- kind of like the wonder bread you'd have for breakfast. We had the asian nachos from the Izakaya menu, the spice crusted tuna on cucumber salad, and the seafood tostada. The nachos were probably the most flavorful item that we had, but even they weren't that great. The tuna was horribly bland- the only thing adding an extra dimension of flavor would be the potent wasabi vinaigrette. The seafood tostada comprised of sea bass, tuna and salmon- although you'd be hard pressed to discern the differences between the fish. It was all one big bland chunky mess- the 'salsa' moistening the tostada into a soggy lump. Both our entrees came out tepid, lacked salt, seasoning and any other flavor. Even though we waited about 20-25 minutes between our appetizer and our entrees, our water glasses weren't thought to be refilled, since our waiter couldn't have been bothered to care... Given that this was valentines day dinner, I had figured the restaurant would be crowded, but it wasn't all that busy, with a comfortable flow of people going in and out, so I can't understand why the service was so terrible if they were not particularly busy. After the sub par experience with our food, we didn't bother trying our luck with the dessert menu. I must note though that the portions of the entrees were quite large- and we had substantial leftovers to take home- although this wasn't really an exciting idea given that we didn't enjoy the food fresh either.
(2)Olivia F.
Living in the neighborhood I've been here a few times. Being a lazy Yelper this is my post to summarize the past years food. Okay. That's it. Okay. Service is good enough that I have no recollection of disliking something.
(3)Celia M.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday in September. He loved it. The food was absolutely amazing. Wonderful flavor and very well put together. But if you've ever heard/been to those restaurants that have portions that could fit onto a tea cup saucer and charge and arm and a leg, this is definitely one of those places. Besides the value of the portion versus price issue, I will say that one thing that really bothered me about this restaurant was the lack of thought to people who don't drink alcohol. The entire drink menu was alcoholic--wines mostly (which I wish I had known about before I decided to take him there). My boyfriend doesn't drink... so we were stuck drinking water, which earned us an unhappy expression from the waitress. She tried to be nice, but if you imagine that look that you get from someone when they feel like you're wasting their time, it was something like that... all evening long. But anyway, I will say, despite that, this restaurant is quite good. If I ever go eat somewhere expensive with someone who does drink, I might go back again.
(3)Tiffany L.
Tsunami is one of those restaurants that's been on my to-do list for as long as I've had one. I don't know why it took me so long to get here, but my husband, Tom, and I wandered in on a Monday evening. We were treated to great service and some really delicious food. We started out with 3 appetizers: jalapeno hush puppies with maple-soy aioli, bacon-wrapped dates with a sweet chili sauce and the Asian nachos - wontons with tuna tataki, cilantro, jalapeno and sriracha. The hush puppies were crisp without being greasy or heavy. There was a touch of heat that was mellowed by the sweetness of the aioli. The bacon-wrapped dates were a great combo of sweet and salty (and they were probably my favorite part of the whole meal.) My husband enjoyed the nachos so much that he ordered tuna for his entree as well. Tom enjoyed the spice crusted tuna with cucumber salad and wasabi vinaigrette for the most part. The portion was quite large; one end was thinner and the other, thicker. The thinner part was a bit overcooked and he felt that the cucumber salad lacked complexity of flavor. I chose the duck breast medallions with butternut squash puree and flash fried greens off the small plates menu. This menu changes daily, but if the duck is listed when you visit, order it. It was perfectly cooked and paired beautifully with the squash puree. We finshed off our meal with the ginger doughnuts, which are normally served with coconut sorbet. I can't eat coconut, so we went with vanilla ice cream instead. The doughnuts had the texture of beignets and the ginger flavor was not overpowering at all. This was definitely the most intriguing of the dessert selections, and we were not disappointed in our choice. Final Impressions: Wow, I wish that I'd visited Tsunami sooner. Except for the slight misstep with parts of Tom's tuna entree, the meal was well-prepared and delicious. Tsunami would be a great choice for a romantic date night or a girl's night out. They're also Project Green Fork certified.
(5)Emily D.
Best restaurant in Memphis! I don't know what else to say. It never disappoints. Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. Great space. It doesn't get much better than Tsunami. I suggest you make a reservation as this place can fill up quick especially on the weekends. They have a small patio as well which is nice. Love this place! AND THEY HAVE GLUTEN FREE ITEMS AND BREAD!
(5)Tanya T.
The sea bass here is IN-CREDIBLE. I'd been to Tsunami several times before I tried the sea bass and it was already one of my favorites, but now it's up there in my top two. I've gone all over Memphis looking for sea bass as delicious as Tsunami's and guess what? It's not here, folks. This restaurant has a great, upscale vibe and I love to take out of town guests here. The food and ambiance never disappoint. It's not too pricey, either, especially considering I would probably empty out my bank account for the sea bass alone. Small plates are also offered for those that may not want a full meal, and the selections are varied and yummy. A great place for a romantic date too, Tsunami also has a small patio.
(5)Blaire O.
It is only fitting that my last post from Memphis should be from New Years Eve. Whilst before, this eve only represented a night marked by slurred speech and pictures that will be deleted in the morning (which I agree, might be an equally entertaining blog post), I have made a turn around. This NYE, I attended a small dinner party in lieu of the mountains of other invitations I had received... Ahem. And may I say, I could not have imagined an equally satisfying way to spend the better part of the final day of 2012. My sister Brooke, whom you may remember as the smaller, cuter O'Neal, planned a dinner that would vie for the title of best dinners of the year. The aptly named Tsunami is like a tidal wave of Pacific Rim flavors, crashing down on your taste buds and retreating before you've had time to pick up each subtle note of flavor (okay, so that analogy was a little too easy, but hey, when life gives you the word tsunami, talk about tidal waves)... (more on the experience plus photo at the blog write up on my website :)
(4)sterling h.
I can't understand why there are so many excellent reviews for this place. I had the scallops and my fiance had the spiced tuna with cucumber salad. We both had the same response - "meh...". If you feel like eating just to fill up this is the place for you because the food didn't have any flavor. The service was pretty good and the restaurant is very cute. But the food is pretty boring.
(2)Rob W.
Great atmosphere, friendly service and amazing food. Light dishes with unique flavors. Wasabi deviled eggs were my favorite. Unpretentious gourmet.
(5)John S.
I have eaten here several times. I am a native but have lived away from Memphis for the last 15 years and am a foodie. The simplicity of this place is what attracts me back nearly every time I am back home. I enjoy the simple menu, the courteous wait staff, the variety of dishes along with variety of the wine. I recently took my girlfriend here when we visited family and she was naturally satisfied with my choice. It is a great place in the heart of midtown and a good start to an evening on any day of the week.
(4)Ernie H.
Same song, second verse.... My wife and I decided to go out for dinner. It was between Tsunami and Majestic Grille. Because we are tired of throwing money down the drain, we generally call to make sure the Chef is working. Neither restaurant had a Chef working tonight (Thursday), (shocker). We chose to go to Tsunami. We were greeted with smiles and our choice of tables. (it was late) About 6 minutes passed and we were finally approached and our drink order was taken. I say finally because we were told we were the last reservation of the night when we arrived. Within minutes after sitting down we noticed tables were steadily clearing out. Our waitress really should have taken our drink order sooner. Not the biggest issue of the night. In looking at the menu we both were very excited, we wanted to try everything and just knew we would be back. Apps - My wife ordered the Spicy Shrimp Potstickers. If you would like to ruin this app go ahead and dip it in the Chile-Soy Dipping Sauce that comes with it. We renamed it the Chilean-Salt-mine Dipping Sauce. Additionally the Shrimp mixture in the Potsticker had zero flavor. I ordered the Beef Carpaccio. How-oh-how can you get RAW BEEF wrong? Serve it OLD with brown spots, that's how! But hey, the Mustard Sauce was good... Soup and Salad - My wife ordered the Black Bean Soup, it fell into the o.k. category. I had the Chilled Avocado Soup, again just o.k. Neither was worth $7 a bowl and based on the reviews this place gets we were really hoping for more flavors. On to the Entrees - My wife ordered the Grilled Tenderloin of Beef. This plate is served with Mashed Potatoes and steamed vegetables. The Beef was salty, the only flavor the mashed potatoes had was, you guessed it SALT and the steamed vegetables were buried in Thyme. My wife took the cute sprig of Thyme that was stabbed into the Mashed Potatoes, pulled the leaves off and added it back to the Mashed Potatoes. She then asked the waitress for a dollop of the Smoked Chile Butter. She folded this into the potatoes as well. WOW, they were great! The revised Mashed Potatoes masked the saltiness coating the Beef. I wish I could have saved my dinner! No such luck. I ordered the Spicy Seafood Tostada! Mmmmm I love spicy! When we asked our waitress what "Seafood" would be on the Seafood Tostada she said: "All of our seafood". Having read the menu and knowing all of the seafood offered I asked, including Mussels? She said no. My wife then asked including Scallops? She said no. After an awkward pause she said I think Mahi is in it, she then left the table. As it turns out Scallops were included in the dish. Hmm. My entree arrives and I soon learn that "Spicy" is an apparent code word for more SALT. And I learned that if I do not eat my entree in the next 60 seconds my crispy Tostada w/ Spicy Seafood piled on top will turn to mush as it is sitting on a plate absorbing sauce from the black beans. Not sure how this restaurant receives such rave reviews here and in the Memphis Flyer.
(2)Kerry C.
Tsunami is located in Cooper Young, a Midtown neighborhood that's become burgeoning restaurant district in the last few years. It's become an intersection of international delights - within two blocks, you can eat Thai, Mexican, Irish, Japanese, Italian, French, low country and soul food. Tsunami serves Pacific Rim cuisine, which means that the menu contains lot of seafood and Asian-inspired dishes. Every night, there's a rotating list of "small plates", which are slightly smaller meals that are less expensive than regular entrees. Don't be fooled by the name, though - the small plates will easily fill you up. I had the pan-seared salmon with a Portobello mushroom and bleu cheese. The salmon was perfect in its simplicity - the only seasoning was some sea salt. The grilled mushroom was fresh and juicy, and though I can't tell you what was in it, that sauce was amazing. Last night, there was also a menu of small side items, all less than $6. You can't go wrong with the bacon-wrapped dates or Asian nachos. Right now, Colleen and her husband, chef / co-owner Ben Smith are doing some work on the restaurant. They're adding a bar and turning the banquet room into a lounge. Despite the dust, they're still open for dinner nightly.
(5)Henry H.
My wife and I wanted to leave east Memphis and eat somewhere special. I surprised her by making reservations at Tsunami. We have eaten here many times over the years and have always found great food, friendly service and lots of people we know! I ran into my college roommate who lives out of town and I had not seen him in over 30 years! The evening was topped off with pot-stickers and a wonderful fish dish. Great value! It's a must !
(5)Frank N Stein S.
Came here twice already, not bad at all. I like the food and service and menu
(4)Michael F.
Good food, just not great or exciting. Service was great, though some of the flourishes were unnecessary. Most of the food was undersalted for me, but that's preferable to over. The calamari was perfect, if uncreative. Everything involved should have only added up to 3 stars, but it was a nice night with outdoor seating and I had a really great time with friends I hadn't seen in a while. The food and staff only facilitated that.
(4)Brett K.
I travel to Memphis for work approximately once a month. I had heard that Tsunami is the best restaurant in Memphis but had not tried it until this week. After eating dinner at Tsunami on Wednesday night, I now agree wholeheartedly. I fact I would say that Tsunami is one of the best restaurants in the entire country. The staff was friendly and very gracious. Tsunami has a very relaxed but classy atmosphere. I dined with a group of five so we were able to try a variety of dishes on the menu. We started with bacon wrapped dates, asian nachos, and mussels. All were outstanding but the mussels took the crown. I wisely chose the sea bass for my entree and I was blown away. It was one of the best dishes I've eaten in a long time and I wouldn't normally order sea bass, but it was recommended that I try it. I'm glad that I did! My friends ordered the seared tuna and mahi mahi and they thoroughly enjoyed their dinners as well. Creme brulee was our dessert choice and it was another excellent one, although I get the feeling that there are no poor choices on the menu at Tsunami. Also, the beautiful plate presentations were all obviously no accident. Everything about Tsunami was pleasant and I will most certainly be back and I would recommend it to anyone!
(5)Rick W.
Some of the best food in Memphis! The sea bass was great. My wife had the lamb and it was outstanding. Great wine selection. Not a lot of parking. Highly recommend to everyone in the mid-south area.
(5)Sara H.
Overall this place was a solid dinning experience- 3.5 stars I was hoping to be blown away. The ambience was very nice, the menu looked promising, but a few things just didn't quite deliver. The entree menu is small, which is typical for many nice restaurants and the 7 options they had all sounded good, unfortunately they were out of 3 of them. Luckily they had scallops, my tried and true favorite dinner dish. The scallops themselves were good, but not out of this world. There was a black sticky rice, that was not described on the menu, layering the bottom... that was... well, not so great. I asked the server what it was and snippily told me it was a fibrous grain. We happened to be seated next to a friend of my boyfriends at the next table. His girlfriend had ordered the same thing, although she remarked that hers looked different. Guess they ran out of some other ingredient (hopefully it replaced the "fibrous grain"). Toward the end of the meal, near closing, either the waitstaff near the kitchen or a guest at the bar was swearing like a sailor... maybe they were upset that they had run out of so many things too ;) On the plus side, apparently the filet of beef was excellent and the sorbet we had for desert was AMAZING. I would like to retry the place when they restock their kitchen. I am hoping it was an off night.
(3)Tony H.
I have eaten here so many times over the years. It was my last dinner in Memphis the night before I left for California. I can still smell the Sea Bass. This is such an outstanding Restaurant that I had to take a moment to say how much I miss it and can barely stand waiting to go again.
(5)Kristen W.
Some of the best salmon ever. We like the small plates because we enjoy eating family style and tasting a little of everything. A little pricey, but great flavor.
(4)James S.
People who give this restaurant 5 stars lack discernment. The service here can be agonizingly slow. Once, I felt compelled to volunteer to help in the kitchen or serving tables. While the food is generally good, it is not as good as it looks. And, the portions are small, reminding me of the Woody Allen joke. "The food is bad, but thankfully, the portions are small." Presentation and ambience are probably the reasons that some feel this place rates highly.
(3)Allyn B.
Probably the best sea bass I've ever had, definitely try it! Great service as well
(5)Leatha T.
Absolutely love the small plates. Didn't care too much for the crawfish cakes but everything else we tried was delicious... Shrimp Toast, Gracious Gardens mesclun mix, Seared Scallops & the Wasabi Deviled Eggs. I will definitely go back!
(4)Lisa M J.
Fun restaurant, great atmosphere. Nice spot to go for lunch with a friend (or business colleague). At night I usually go with a couple of other friends and we share a variety of the small plates and usually split an entree. Wines are reasonable and they have full bar available. Maybe I go at off times, but I am always surprised it is not more packed than it is. This means not having to wait forever when I show up on a whim and without reservation, which is a nice plus. To reiterate what has been said in other reviews -- I have never had a bad meal a tsunami. The menu is eclectic, fresh and won't break the bank either.
(4)Deen W.
As my birthday approaches and I have the autonomous vote of dining anywhere in the city that I like, my mind keeps coming back to Tsunami. I haven't eaten there in ages, but the few times I have stick out in my mind like a beacon of originality in a sea of humdrum. Did I say sea? How about that Roasted Seabass on top of black rice w/ beurre blanc? Heaven! (And I hope its on the menu still!) I have the cookbook and attempted this dish myself once. The result was significantly less than what I had hoped for. I love the chilled soups (ie melon or avocado) offered in the summer. What a nice, fresh change from the traditional salad or hot bowl of soup! They have outside dining, and for me, there's no better people watching than Midtown. If you haven't tried Tsunami, make it a point to do so. It's fresh, cool, and utterly tasty. They are open for lunch and offer small plates at dinner as well.
(5)Joey J.
Wow, I am AMAZED at the one and two star reviews. I sincerely hope that they just had fluke experiences since my have been nothing but extraordinary. When I dine outside of my hometown (NYC) afterwards my first thought is generally, "Would I eat here in NYC, and how much would I have spent?" I would eat at Tsunami if it was in NYC, but I also think I would pay about the same prices in NYC (if not a little less to be honest! whihc seems to be true of a few places in the Cooper Young area). Flavors here are excellent, and the "small places" are more than enough food especially if you decide to enjoy an appetizer or dessert! My sea bass was cooked to perfection in a wonderful butter sauce (traditional cooking method executed perfectly). Salmon small plate though was outrageously good. Now their dessert menu does not fit the theme of this restaurant, but I don't care and in some ways am happy about that! I don't want fried green tea ice cream, or Mochi or some other Japanese "inspired" dessert since I personally don't ever love them. The Australian Hummingbird cake was phenomenal (called so for its naturally sweet flavors such as pineapple and that bird's affinity for sweet nectars). When I'm in town and have a special visitor that I want to take somewhere that isn't BBQ or Gus's fried chicken, I'd probably try to stop here with them for a nicer evening out.
(5)sarah m.
I don't see how this place could have a negative review. Granted, the only (surprisingly) review was written 2 years ago...Tsunami is one of THE best restaurants here in Memphis. I am definitely a regular there, and I know many others who are. You need to make reservations, and you're better off making them a few days ahead for friday or saturday, as this place is very popular. It showcases a flattering ambiance reflecting the Midtown Memphis lifestyle. It's just relaxed, aesthetically calming, and tasty as hell. There is a set menu, with permanent items you can rely on; then there is an often-changing small plates menu, with usually one soup, an appetizer, and three or so small plates ranging from 8-25 (it's that high only if you get something comparable to a petit filet) bucks. These small plates are filling enough to be a meal, and there are some great desserts that also change fairly often. The staff are awesome - friendly and laid back (yet efficient, I assure you), and the chef is amazing. I have Tsunami's cookbook, and it is truly a great buy. I've made many of the dishes that I've also been able to have at the restaurant. The recipes are right on target, and cooking from the book produces a very satisfying meal. Pure 'n simple, don't pass up the chance to go to Tsunami. Try their Sea bass with black thai rice and soy buerre blanc. That's an insanely popular dish there. I usually go for something on the small plate menu, simply because I'm so excited to see what great tastes they've come up with. Fish is done right here. Parfait!
(5)Yuan Z.
Really a great place to have dinner with friends! The good is wonderful. I definitely will go back again an try more there.
(5)M-- P.
Im not a food nazi. Worked in industry for years and respect the work that goes into a successful f&b establishment. But three strikes and you re out, friends. And while the food has been better than most, excepting small mussels and a total fail on the calamari dip, its the service that i find so desperately lacking. Eating/drinking there two nights a week now for 12 months Id expect you to know my name, tell me its nice to see you, etc. i don't expect free drinks, free dessert, special treatment But don't treat me like that diner who harasses your staff and pukes on your bar. So when i do share that a dish is not up to par, offer to FIX it. Seriously. Warm regards.
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