mcewen's on monroe

another review. more just needs to be said about this place. fine dining comes at a price, but their lunch is out of this world. you're selling/preparing me a maple/miso pecan glazed grilled salmon fillet (not small, either) cooked to perfection, a rather hefty serving of some deliciously buttery/garlicy mashed potatos, some no less than perfectly cooked sauted green peas with some sort of cheese crumbled in it, and/or a robust serving of some of the best squash casserole i have ever tasted for... $11 at lunch. that's it?! it's insane what you get for lunch at this place. every time i go there for lunch, i always order this meal, changing up the side items. it is always cooked perfectly, ever part of it, has extremely wonderful depth in taste/flavor, and the portions you receive are perfect. whenever i eat a meal here, especially at lunch, i am always blown more away. that salmon... oh, that salmon. my eyes roll back into my head, it is so good.

one thing to note - lunch is served from 11am-2pm. because, as you can see from my opinion at least, the food is amazing, it draws the working crowd from downtown rather quickly, so i would suggest trying to get there close to 11 so you can beat the rush. if you don't beat the rush? just wait it out. you will not be sorry! holy crap, so good.


-----02 jun, 2011-----

i will say that i have been multiple times, always ordered something different, and have never had a bad "meal" here. i have two gripes 1. being that the cheese grits that come with scallops... they are really bad. salt and pepper couldn't even save them. 2. it can be very pricey for some of the food, but(!) you are getting a perfectly cooked meal (sans grits) for your buck. they have small plates that are delicious,greatentrees, delicious desserts, and wonderful staff and atmosphere. if i could afford it, i'd eat here at least once every few days! p.s. get the duck. just... get the duck; you'll be glad you did.

always great. mcewen's is agreatexample of how to run a restaurant. i eat there about two times a week for lunch. the sandwiches are very good and the prices are affordable. try the potato salad as your side item... it's excellent - roasted potatoes, red onion, light creamy sauce. they have interesting lunch specials and soups. the only thing on the menu that i don't like to order is the grilled portobella mushroom sandwich. it is just not as good as the rest of the items. the service is always good... i think the staff has worked together there for years.

you can't go wrong eating here... you can get an excellent sandwich or entree for a good price (lower than hueys, blue plate and little tea shop).

neighborhood bar withgreatfood. this place has it all.greatstaff. neighborhood feel.greatsemi-southern menu at a reasonable price. i go here 1-2x per month. very consistent. a guarantee.

salmon maple glazed. lunch special, always cooked just right, with maple and pecans,greatside dishes too!

outstanding! can't wait to go back.. we went to mcewen's for the first time last night for a birthday dinner and everything was just perfect. i started with a salad special with prawns, arugula, pancetta & a lemon-thyme vinaigrette that was fantastic. would love to know how to make that dressing--so delicious--and the baby arugula was fresh and tender. hubby had the wedge salad and said the lettuce was cold & crisp and the toasted pecan blue cheese dressing was superb.
i followed with the sweet potato crusted catfish with collard greens and macaroni & cheese. it is just a wonderfully balanced plate. there's a tiny bit of sweetness and spice to the crusted fish, the greens had just a bit of tooth since they are braised and not cooked to death, but with the most delicious vinegary-sweet sauce, and the macaroni is "just right" - flavorful with just the perfect amount of sauce.
hubby had the ny strip and found it perfectly done and very flavorful - a perfect meat-eaters cut of steak.
enjoyed the atmosphere and there is the right amount of room between the tables. feels cozy but not at all cramped. we brought our own wine ($15 corkage fee) but they had several options on their wine list. service wasgreat- prompt, friendly, helpful, unobtrusive. just what you want.
we were so full, but finished with the banana crème pie, which is rich and creamy and everything a banana crème pie should be. so glad we tried this place--will definitely be back.

quaint atmosphere and delicious fare. the quaint atmosphere made for an excellent wedding anniversary dinner. the pan seared scallops were fantastic and the banana cream pie is a must! cynthia was agreatserver with helpful recommendations for wine and food. definitely one of our memphis favorites now.

awesome gluten free dining. rarely do you fine out and have a menu full of gluten free options to choose from and even more rare is to find the staff able to help you navigate the menu and discuss exchanges. mcewens was exceptional and managing both if these. everyone at my table got different gluten free dishes and we sampled each one! it was a dining delight! thank heavens for such agreatrestaurant. we sampled the grouper, scallops and vegetable plate. delicious!

what a find!. after a hot day walking downtown memphis, a friend and i weren't really in the mood for crowds, bbq or fried chicken and were seeking a chill,upscale restaurant that was a little out of the way. as soon as we walked into mcewen's on monroe we new we found the right place. the atmosphere was perfect-not too loud, lighting was low lighting (not too dark) and the staff was on it. we were seated right away, had agreatred and white wine selection and then we started reviewing the menu. we both started grinning from ear to ear.....there was so much to choose from. chilean sea bass, grilled coriander crusted duck breast, seared scallops, grilled lamb, creole braised pork, warm wild mushroom salad .... i could go on but that's just half of the entrees featured on the dinner menu. i had the sea bass and my friend opted for the duck breast. both were some of the best meals we've had. duck was moist, flavored perfectly with a blackberry reduction and was a healthy portion. the sea bass was perfectly cooked,greatsear, wonderful citrus-soy reduction atop sautéed spinach and risotto. the flavors were so well balanced between the sea bass and the sides....i was savoring each bite. we finished with the banana cream pie and were not disappointed. it was homemade, the crust was phenomenal ... we had the perfect dining experience. at one point...i even heard the chefs singing in the kitchen, which made me smile. the waitstaff wasgreatas well. you must check this place out!

some of the best food in memphis. been here twice.greatfood both times. one of my favorites.

good food & customer service. the good here isgreat& the wait staff is even better. they are always so kind & will go out of their way to make sure you are happy.

delicious. we visited mcewen's for dinner and it was delicious. started out with the cheese plate, it was good but not outstanding. for dinner we tried the osso bucco and beef tenderloin. both were amazing and we would definitely order again. the atmosphere was nice and the staff was friendly.greatspot for dinner in memphis!

the wife had been trying to get me to this place for a couple of years. finally went for vday dinner. i should have listened.greatatmosphere and service. my ny strip cooked perfectly medium. she had the sea bass also excellent. warning: dnt park on the curb or u will get a ticket. go ahead n fork over the $7 added to the bill for valet

absolutely delicious!greatservice and staff are very knowledgable about menu. ask for shianti (staff). she was wonderful. new york strip melted in my mouth and cooked perfectly!

awesome crab au gratin.greatplace for a special occasion.

mum mummmm good!greatlunch! i will come back again the next time i am town for dinner and would recomend it to a friend. thanks urbanspoon for allowing me to find this gem!