Things started kind of slow...sat at the bar and they had no menu's so I waited and waited; finally I went to the hostess stand and got my own menu. You'd think the bar tender could have done that. Anyway, my oyster appetizer came pretty quick and they were outstanding! If the menu came quicker they'd get four stars just for the oysters. Next, I ordered the special, a pork shank which was appealing to the eye but otherwise, just ok. The brussel sprout side was burned and the overall dish was very bland.
Unfortunately, not a very memorable visit. In all fairness, the food is usually very good as is the service.
I was a little skeptical after reading other reviews so I was pleasantly surprised after eating there. The space is tight where the food is served but manageable. The omelet station can take a long time even with seven burners going. However, the guy making them is entertaining and makes the time go a little quicker. Everything was well seasoned and quickly replenished. The desserts were fabulous, especially the eclairs and the super rich brownies. My only complaints: Â a couple plates were dirty and the young lady manning the dessert station used her un-gloved hands to add bananas to a sauce. On my next visit to Memphis, I will be back.
Review Source:Wow, I was not expecting to have to write a review for Owen Brennan's and only give it two stars. This place had so much promise, but there were multiple issues with our experience that I would like all of my fellow Yelpers to be aware of. This is in regards to our Brunch experience. First, I love brunch. Â I mean...LOVE brunch. Â So this is a real let down for me to write.
Food: This is going to be a very juxtaposed look at our experience with the food, and I will try to keep it condensed so I can finish the rest of my review. Â As a whole, it was simply below average. Â Yes, there were some shining-star items; but mostly, the food was just below average. First, we arrived right when they opened (actually we were seated at 9:22AM), but nearly all of the food was lukewarm. Â I know, it is a buffet-style restaurant; but that is no excuse for my food to be lukewarm when we were the first customers in the door. Furthermore, I am pretty sure it is a safety hazard to have buffet food below a certain temperature. Items that were blatantly below temperature were the sausage and gravy and the etouffee. Other items that were lukewarm included the meats (sausage and bacon). Â The only thing I could discern as being at an appropriate temperature, were the waffles (cook-to-order), the omelets (cook to order), and the prime rib.
Ok, next item. Â The waffle wasn't cooked very well. Â I consider a waffle properly cooked when it has a golden brown exterior. Mine was a pale yellow color. Â Some of the shrimp I got were not properly de-veined (2 of 12). Â For those of you unsure what that is, it is the failure to remove the two poop-tubes in the shrimp. Â I don't know if this is done on site, or if they just get frozen batches that are pre-de-veined; but either way, someone needs to be checking this and they shouldn't have made it to the dining room. Â
Let's talk about some highlights. Â The prime rib was superb, and the only thing that I could tell was possibly cooked fresh that morning. Â Everything else, with its temperature seemed to have been prepped waaaay to far ahead of schedule. Â My wife had a lovely omelet, and we all liked the fresh fruit selection and presentation. Â I was particularly fond of the roasted pecans for the waffles. Â Finally, the fried chicken was absolutely fantastic; but again, it was prepped way to early and was only warm. Â The breading also started to suffer. Â Regardless though, the flavor was there and is worth mentioning.
Food: 3 / 5
Service: Sigh...the lackluster service didn't become that apparent to me until I noticed everybody else's waiter greet them warmly, ask if they had been there before, explain the buffet, and genuinely act welcoming. Â This is how our waiter greeted us when we sat down, "Um, this is a buffet, so you can just go up; but what can I get you to drink?" Â Wow...talk about someone who didn't want to be there. Â I am a super-friendly, pretty cool customer to have. Â I have tipped my waiter 30% at a buffet before for just being friendly. Â This guy was a douche-bag and obviously disinterested in properly doing his job. Â
Everyone else was pretty nice though; HOWEVER, I hate, HATE seing employees on their cell phones. Â The person at the waffle bar? Texting (or other--looking at porn for all I know). Hostesses? Texting. Â Servers? Texting. Omelet-station-dude who I couldn't understand a damn word he said? Â Texting. Â How classless for a place that looks like it could be so classy
Service: 1 / 5
Atmosphere: Outside of the gratuitous texting, and our douhche-bag server, I was not happy with the cleanliness. Â I am a huge stickler on this. Â There were dirty, crusty plates on the buffet line that I had to give to the bar tender for re-wash--gross. Â Again, who is checking this stuff? Â Also, we were seated at the front of the restaurant and it is elevated slightly. Â There is a railing with a little walk way in front of the window. Â In that walk way was hair, crumbs, and old food. Â Disgusting. Â Plus, they can't even blame it on an earlier service because we were there 8 minutes before opening!
Despite this, the place has an incredible vibe to it, which is why it gets one bonus point. Â You need to get a general manager in that restaurant who takes pride in your establishment, and offers a better experience. Â Hmm...I just moved to the area?
Atmosphere: 2 / 5 (1+1 for awesome vibe)
Price: Lastly, the price of $30 per person does not justify the quality of the food, the quality of the service, or the quality of the atmosphere. Â McDonald's Dollar Menu is a better value than this -- and I hate McDonald's.
Price: 1 / 5
Concluding Remarks: Maybe we came on an off-off day; but the things I saw were fundamental problems with the way the service is run. Dirty restaurants and everyone texting is unacceptable. Crusty plates and lukewarm food is unacceptable and this starts from leadership on down. Â I will not be back unless invited back with a compelling argument. Er...and where was the Benedict!!!
We went to brunch here on our honeymoon. Â It's a little misleading. Â We drove up to an empty parking lot of a strip mall. Â The front door of Owen Brennan's makes you wonder if the place is even in business. Â Then you walk through those doors and enter into an different world. Â The inside is rich and elegant. Â It feels like you are inside an old Southern Mansion. Â The Cajun vibe and live Cajun music is a great touch. Â They make the BEST Bloody Marys and the guy making the crawfish omelets is a lot of fun! Â It was by far the best place we ate at while we were in Memphis.
Review Source:I've only been once and that was quite a while ago. So things may have changed since then.
But I really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere here. Is it as good as authentic New Orleans cajun food? Well, yes and no. I've had food in NOLA that was way better and some that was way worse.
Overall, though, Owen Brennan's is a solid, 4-star restaurant. Good food, good service. It's a little pricey in my opinion - which is why I haven't been in such a long time - but a good choice for something a little different every once in a while.
I'm a bit conflicted about Owen Brennan's because on one hand, i want to give them 5 stars and on the other I want to give 2.
For starters, the brunch experience is amazing. I love the New Orleans vibe of the restaurant and the music is perfect - I can also definitely get down with their mimosas.
But if you go on a week day for lunch, be prepared for an all boys club. As a girl, I get nothing but stares when I walk into that place.
Here is where I'm conflicted: the awesome atmosphere of brunch is met with lack luster food and the strange vibe during weekday lunch is met with delicious food.
Why can't there just be full awesomeness all around at least once during the week?
At least the one thing consistent is their service. The waiters have always been attentive and helpful - and that is what keeps me coming back.
I tasted Cajun cuisine in 1997 at my first trip to United State. My husband took me for lunch at Owen Brennan. I honestly thought it was the most bizarre alien food on this planet I had ever chewed in my mouth.
Time changes everything, now I cook Cajun food at home. I am amazed by the complexity of its blended seasoning and artistic cooking techniques. It is not just cooking, it is a specialized skill. Whenever I have chance go back to Memphis, I visit Owen Brennan's because I know I am in good hands. The real Cajun has to be prepared by a true Cajun chef, and no doubt there are more than one at Owen Brennan's. My favorite is 'Crawfish Étouffée". 19 dollar is on the more expensive side but the quality speaks for itself. There are so many mysterious ingredients put into the rich broth base. It feels like there is a conversation going on between the food and me every time I have this dish. Um... how you doing, crawfish; Um, nice dressing; God you are hot....... I love this dish.
The restaurant itself has elegant layout meanwhile remains functional. The atmosphere is very inviting. You can sit at the bar for casual conversation with friends, or choose to share a romantic moment with your better half at the terrace. Dinning area closer to kitchen is more suitable for groups or business lunch and dinner. You will be surrounded by old posters and New Orleans' style decoration to assure you it is definitely a Cajun dinning experience.
It is a true Cajun. My 100th Yelp review no doubt goes to my beloved Memphis, and Owen, you are the man!
Normally, I super love this place but I decided to go for brunch....
I'm not a buffet person and will never be but sometimes strange things happen.
Their brunch was okay. They provided oysters and shrimp which were fabulous!! As well and the little mini desserts, but as no big surprise the rest of the food was below warm in temperature and tasted like it had been sitting there for awhile.
The moral of the story... No matter how super fabulous a restaurant has been in the past, Â no one can pull off the buffet style food and let me walk away sassy-fied.
This was a clean, quiet, and peaceful restaurant. Â The waitress did her job but was not necessarily the friendliest. Â The food was OK, nothing to rave about for the price.
Ordered a chocolate martini and it didn't taste very chocolatey...she brought the Godiva bottle for me to see and they used some type of Godiva I had never seen (not the regular one). Â I don't know, maybe it was white chocolate.
I met a business contact here last week for lunch. Â I was excited when he suggested it as a meeting grounds as I realized I had yet to dine here. Â I always forget it exists, mainly because I don't spend too much time in that particular area but also because people don't tend to talk about this place very much. Â I had never heard about their brunch until I checked out the reviews on Yelp. Â This is totally something I would get down on! How could no one have mentioned it to me...like, ever? Â Craziness! Â It's currently next on our brunch to-do list.
Brennan's is like a men's country club meets cozy-country. Â It has such an odd, and strangely fitting feel to it. It's predominantly a Cajun/creole menu with some other options tossed around. Â I opted for the chicken picatta lunch special. It sounded good, and I figured if it was a special, they had to do it decently. Â I was right- it was decent. Â Nothing memorable though, really. Â I wish I would have gone with a better menu choice. Â Perhaps venturing outside of the Cajun menu fare was a bad choice for a first impression. Â Regardless, the service was great, the restaurant itself is aesthetically pleasing and the menu is pretty extensive. Â They also have a Sunday brunch- 10 points for that alone. Â Can't wait to get back here on a Sunday- three stars till then.
Great bar - the bartender is friendly and helpful and they have a nice selection of wines by the glass.
We were there on a weeknight for drinks and a light dinner. We started with the Tomato Mozzarella, which was fresh and delicious. I had the Cobb salad with added grilled chicken for dinner. Dressing was creamy -- maybe a little too creamy -- with a great flavor.
Great atmosphere and a good place to meet up for a quiet drink or two.
Wow, went here for new years. BIG MISTAKE. First off they were not very busy. I haven't been to the restaurant in years as the food was never good and the service is usually marginal at best. We went here because that was where the group was going and I figured we could get an app or two then eat later at the next stop. Two and a half hours later several of the ladies had still not gotten anything to eat, some had still not received water and many of us still didn't have silver ware. I did get a cheese plate we ordered but it was so nasty only a few ate it out of desperation. The waiter was nice and tried. He had very little help from the other staff but actually I still don't get the lack of basics like silverware. The owner was there and had absolutely no idea how to handle the situation. After nearly three hours we just wanted out and to get the ladies some food. All the owner wanted to do talk and blabber with incompetent management. On top of it all the actually charged us for the "Dinner". There were around 20 of us and everyone had a miserable experience. I could go on about late seating, bad drinks, etc. but I hope this gives the idea. It is sad because it is a good location and the interior of the restaurant is really nice. STAY AWAY!
Review Source:After many-a-brunches here, I finally ate at Owen Brennan's for dinner. The menu was amazing. (For me, good menus & cookbooks read like Harlequin novels) I was torn between about 4 things for the appetizers, but we ended up going with the Oysters 2 Ways. (Bienville & Rockefeller) I was slightly disappointed that the Oysters Rockefeller contained spinach, as I learned when dining at the original Brennans that they actually should contain no spinach at all. Oh well. It sure didn't stop me from eating them! The bread is fantastic - ask them to toast it just a little extra longer. The BF had the gumbo, and it was very good. There were big chunks of andouille sausage and nice plump shrimp in a very dark roux. I was recommended to try the Catfish Beaudreaux, one of their signature dishes, and boy did it not disappoint! Fried catfish fillets covered in a crawfish cream sauce? Yes please!
I swear, check the menu out. You can even order breakfast for dinner, like their Eggs Benedict.....just writing this makes me want to go back and try something different. (And is it wrong that I ate the BF's leftover gumbo for breakfast this morning?!)
My husband and I went to Memphis for a quick get away. We  had read that one scene from the 1993 movie "The Firm" with Tom Cruise was filmed at Owen Brennans. We are geeks so we wanted to go.  We also wanted the buffet, but the geek factor sealed the deal. This resturant was not close to downtown where we were staying. This is the only resturant we took the car to for the whole trip.  We came for Sunday Brunch and it was amazing.  The servers were extra nice and seated us in Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman's chairs. (there's a little plaque on the back of each chair to commemorate the filming of the movie).  There was also a lovely trio of musicians playing Christmas music. Â
Everything we ate was so good. They offered an omelete bar, waffle bar, cajun, southern cooking and the mister was over the moon with the oysters and shrimp spread. Â
Excellent experience, great buffet for the price! Â Check it out!
This has become my Favorite place for Sunday brunch. Â The champagne brunch is the best around. Â We like to sit at the bar, because we get really good service and quick refills on champagne. Â You can go thru the buffet lines and get breakfast, lunch or dinner with totally killer deserts. Â Everyone we take there is as crazy about the place as we are. Â Enjoy...try it.
Review Source:OVERRATED!
Welcome to 1982. Â At least that was the last year in which they did any sort of renovation inside this joint.
Food was similar to what I eat when my parents take me out to eat at their favorite buffeteria.
The best part is where we ordered two diet cokes and they served us DIet Rite. Â Yuck.
And just a question here... Â Why would the waiter think it's acceptable to put me through a 20 question quiz, unsolicited, while I was trying to eat. Â Including: Â where I work, what I do, where I'm from, what age is my child... Â I was one breath away from telling him to shut it and go back to the kitchen so I could eat.
Memphis sucks.
Owen Brennan's has long been recognized for its brunch, which I've never had, unfortunately. I have enjoyed lunch and dinner here, and while the food is good, I haven't had my socks knocked off. I haven't been since the new chef took over the kitchen, though, so I may need to give the place another try.
I do know that this is a nice spot for happy hours and a popular place for young professionals in the area to come and enjoy a drink after work.
The restaurant is pretty big, too, with private party rooms for special occasions.
I've been hearing good things about Owen Brennan's new chef, so when my date suggested we go there for dinner the other night, I was more than happy to oblige.
I've always enjoyed Brennan's. The old world ambiance and low lighting creates a wonderfully elegant setting and the food has been first rate every time I've gone.
We started with the Oysters Bienville, which are prepared with a shrimp & mushroom cream sauce and topped and baked with a crust of parmesan cheese. They were simply decadent .
For my entree, I had the Shrimp and Grits. Done correctly, this is one of my favorite dishes at various places in town. So I was interested to sample Brennen's version. I have to give credit to Chef DeLarme. It was spectacular. The grits were stone ground with a smokey cheddar flavor that complemented the shrimp, andouille sausage and tasso ham they were served with. Again, this was rich and decadent and I could only eat about half. But I absolutely loved it.
My date had the fish special of the day, which was a pan seared grouper fillet, served over a tomato medley. He said it was fantastic.
The wine we had with our meal was also memorable - Provenance, 2003 Napa Merlot that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A great meal, beautiful atmosphere and just a wonderful evening all around. I'll be looking forward to my next visit.
Owen Brennan's is a great place for the entire brunch experience- food, beverages and music. This is the place to go if you want the experience.
On Sundays you can get the Brunch buffet with everything you can think of on it- waffle station, omelet station, meats, fried chicken, salad bar, fruit bar and dessert bar. It's a lot of food with a lot of choices. I'm not a huge fan of buffets- but I like the one here.
It's $30.00 for adults and $14.50 for kids and is from 10-2. The restaurant is large so it's a good option for special occasion brunches. Memphis Magazine has voted it the best brunch spot for over 15 years.
They offer a breakfast items on their Saturday lunch menu like Eggs Benedict, waffles, and omelets. This makes it a nice Saturday brunch option.
When the weather is nice you can enjoy brunch on the outdoor patio. Although I am reviewing it as a brunch spot in my brunch list it is also a good dinner and lunch spot specializing in Cajun cuisine. I love the gumbo, and shrimp and grits.
Owen Brennan's used to be my favourite restaurant because it had amazing seafood Alfredo with sushi-grade scallops and shrimp. This dish was creamy, seafood tasted fresh. However, I am not sure what happened, but the quality of food declined. The last time I ordered Alfredo it was not creamy, but watery. Omeletts were not fluffy anymore. Fruit served with breakfast and brunch dishes was not fresh. My husband still visits this place for lunch mostly ordering Pasta Jambalaya. Â
I am giving this restaurant 3 stars because of my past great experience there.
All that money for a mediocre brunch? I don't think so.
The waiter was also trying waaaay too hard to be funny. And failed. Joking about how "demanding" the customers are when we simply asked for a refill of coffee is not a way to make friends. Putting down a double mimosa at $7 each when you really provided only one that you claimed was $5 will not help either (though he did profusely apologize once we brought it to his attention). And constantly stopping by the table and looking at us for 10 seconds awkwardly is just plain weird. Maybe he was new, but it had a serious effect on the meal when his service became the topic of conversation again and again.
I enjoyed the seafood, but it seemed relatively limited in variety and the setup was kind of strange. Lots of shrimp with their shells still on, a pasta with some shrimp in it, oysters, and maybe some kind of saucy-pasta-like-thing that wasn't very tasty. They did have a waffle/eggs Florentine making station, but it didn't have anything special. Lots of standard breakfast fare too, which reminded me more of a Holiday Inn hot breakfast than anything else. Even the desserts didn't look particularly appetizing.
Also, the omlette table was completely overwhelmed by people and waiting ten minutes to order an omelette was par for the course. It looked like a good omlette, but not worth the extra wait in line.
I did like the jazz trio they had playing in the background though.
$26 for this experience? Not worth it.
Not bad, but not on the top of the list. Â I tried the double pork chops, and it was prepared very nicely - tender, moist and a nice crispness on the edges. Â I also tried the seafood caserole and a cup of gumbo which were better than I expected.
The desserts were decent, but not fabulous - the bread pudding was tasty, but a bit "saucy" and overwhelmed with butter, the triple chocolate cake was overly chocolaty (if that was ever possible), and the pecan pie woke up my sweet tooth!
I'd say try the appetizer platter because that was actually yummy, but maybe next time I'll try Brennan's for lunch to try the po'boys or red beans and rice?
On Sundays at Owen Brennan's, for a mere $26 you can get:
* Made to order Omelets * Eggs Benedict with a nice Hollandaise Sauce * Mini Mountain of Peel n' Eat Shrimp and Oysters * Good Quality Lox * Had to go back for seconds Fried Tomatoes * Veggies & Fruit * Crispy Fried Chicken * Cheesy Buttery Yummy Grits * "Needs Tabasco" Gumbo and Jambalaya * Stuffing * Sausage, Bacon, & Scrambled Eggs * Fresh Waffles with all the syrup and butter you can handle * Chocolate Covered Strawberries * Drool worthy Bananas Foster * Perfect Raspberry Cobbler * Squeal inducing Doberge Cake * Bread Pudding * Vanilla Ice Cream * Tea, Coffee & Juice to Wash it all Down * Friendly Service * Live Jazz Trio including Saxophone Serenades * A HUGE food coma * A memorable time with people you LOVE.
Let's just say, we definitely got our money's worth!
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