Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar

Food = delicious /​/​Manager= AWFUL !!!
I came to this restaraunt after a long day of working for a non profit company here in town in from LA. Saw great things on Unilocal regarding the food. I love seafood so it was a no brainer.
Arrived straight from work on a sweaty 90 degree day, starving of course. We were turned to the patio area because cut off shorts were not allowed in the main dining room. So went straight back out to the heat, of course not without some sass from the GM. I could tell she wasn’t a fan of me and it felt as though it made her feel uncomfortable to host me in her establishment. Which made me feel extra uneasy.
Our server, Chelsea B was a gem. What a sweetheart. Nothing against her, but the service was quite slow. We finished our strawberry caprese salad and all of a sudden a gust of wind began to ensue. A man from the street yelled toward us and told us to get inside because a storm was about to hit. By the time he finished his sentence a cloud of dirt blew toward our table and into my eyes and mouth. As soon as we stood up the top of the fan blower blew off and crashed right into our table. Would have knocked my friend out sitting with me had we still been there! (You can’t make this stuff up!!) This thing was giant. A lawsuit waiting to happen.
We were forced to enter back into the establishment (still with no food), and waited a very awkward 10 minutes before anyone talked to us. And while knowing my cut off shorts were making the lady GM in the pants suit very uncomfortable I asked the server to just box our stuff up because it was becoming clearer and clearer that we were not welcome. Nor were they going to find us a table.
They brought us a to go bag that was missing our main course. They then corrected it after making us wait a bit longer and brought us a to go bag with everything.
The bill came and it was about a hundred bucks and couldn’t believe they didn’t at least comp a glass of wine or a salad. I asked my server if it was possible to do anything about that and she promptly returned after speaking with the pants suited GM and told me there was nothing they could do.
At this point it was raining really hard and I stood outside holding our cold food in the rain that we paid our hard earned working dollars for while we waited for the valet.
To top it off, they didn’t include any silverware or napkins which made it extra interesting eating risotto, bass, etc with my sad little hands.
All in all — if you’re reading this — manager lady at Flight — please be more personable and kind to your patrons. If cut off shorts are a no no, make it clear — and allow your patrons to go somewhere they will feel more welcomed and comfortable so they are not wasting their time. Also be nice to your staff.
This experience really ruined my day and made me incredibly anxious. What a terrible waste of money and energy.
I hope nobody else has this experience EVER! Embarrassing for hospitality management everywhere!

My wife and I took a ten day road trip for our anniversary and ate at a lot of create places in the south. The first restaurant we went to was Flight in Memphis. After all of our stops, it turned out that this was the best restaurant we went to. The food was prepared extremely well and the wine pairings complimented the entire meal.
I decided to go with the farm and field flight, so I got a nice duck breast, rabbit tenderloin and chicken and waffles. It wasn’t the #1 duck or chicken and waffles I ever had, but it was a solid eight or nine out of ten. We were talking about how it was such a solid meal and thinking back, we both agreed it was just the most complete meal. The service was top notch and after they found out it was our anniversary, they brought us two nice glasses of champagne. Everyone was so friendly and the atmosphere was designed for a romantic meal. Even the server refilling our water was beyond friendly and on top of things.

Had an amazing time at flight. Waited an extra 20 minutes because it was busy, but not only did the manager give us free champagne, they gave us a free ocean flight appetizer which was amazing! I had the elk chop, chicken and waffles, and scallop Benedict. They were all really really good. If the food were dates, I’d be in a pickle with three-​timing. Also, nice to note every plate comes back empty, which goes to show how amazing the food is. I will be coming back even though it is a 3 hour flight away

I wanted to do something really nice for my sister on her birthday so I made reservations for us to eat at Flight yesterday evening. First, let me say that if you ever decide to go to Flight that a reservation is definitely needed because they are extremely busy even on a Wednesday night. I made our reservations for 8PM yesterday, we arrived at 7:45 but were not seated until a little after 8:30PM. Normally, this would have upset me but when I say that the staff at Flight went above and beyond the call of duty to make it up to us… my little bubble of frustration was immediately popped! They served us complimentary glasses of wine while we waited and apologized, sincerely, more than once to us which says a lot about not only the establishment but also about those who help make their establishment run smoothly.
The best part about this is that as we were being directed to our table, the staff members all said Happy Birthday to my sister which made her feel really special. Julianne was one of THE best people that we ever had the pleasure of tending to any of our needs. She was very informative and open to answer any questions that we had but most importantly she was genuine.
Okay now on to the dining experience. FYI: Go on a empty to half empty stomach if possible in order to partake in the full dining experience. I swear, I felt like I consumed over 10,000 calories and gained 2 and a half pounds in those 2 hours that we spent eating at Flight. Wes shared the Ocean Flight which made me hum in delight and struggle to keep from dancing in my seat as we ate. Yes, I am one of those kinda girls who hums and dances in delight when food is beyond fantastic lol We were able to mix and match our flights for our entrée which I was extremely satisfied with because there were a few items in each flight that I was certain I wouldn’t want to eat. I had the Shrimp and grits, the Louisiana Redfish, and the Chicken and Waffles: So yummy in my tummy! After we finished with dinner, they brought over a complimentary Crème Brulee for my sister with a candle in it and wished her a Happy Birthday which was to her delight. Afterwards, I mixed and matched my dessert flight (yes, I have a very hearty appetite) and I was not disappointed at all… although I had to ask for a to-​go box because I couldn’t finish it all. I ordered the Banana Foster, the cheesecake, and the crème brûlée. The Banana Foster was my least favorite simply because I expected it to pack more bursting flavors but the Crème Brulee was my favorite with the cheesecake coming in second place.
Now to wrap this up because I realize that this is quite lengthy. Everyone we encountered during our dining experience were amazing people who genuinely seemed to enjoy their jobs. As we were leaving out, everyone thanked us for dining with them and even those who worked other tables told my sister Happy Birthday on her way out. I’m already looking forward to going back to take my mom and dad so that they can enjoy this wonderful dining experience as well.
P. S. They have complimentary valet parking so you won’t have to drive all over downtown (depending on what day you dine) looking for a parking spot. Just be sure to remember that the guys running in white polo shirts and khaki pants are not running from the police… they are actually running to collect cars before the patrons come outside to retrieve their cars :)

Really cool concept, stellar service, quality food.

Great place in Memphis. Beautiful interior space and patio with top notch service. The salad trio was great with balsamic strawberry mozzarella, an iceberg wedge and a goat cheese, bacon and mixed field greens. The flight of fish dishes was expertly cooked and the seafood included the best scallop risotto I have ever had

Excellent food, Good service, Nice atmosphere. Make reservations, or you will most likely have to wait to get in.
This is a nice dining experience, different from other restaurants, they serve you 3 dishes of food. These all all nicely prepared. I have been here twice and everything I have had here has been top notch. My only complaint would be that the brie appetizer was a little disappointing. I have had better brie, my fellow diners all agreed as well.

In reading quite a few Unilocal reviews, I was excited to try Flight. Being a huge tapas fan, I love the small plate concept of getting to try a bunch of different food in small portion sizes. Was traveling with a few co-​workers (Thanks Rob and Bill), so was able to try a good portion of the menu in order to give a proper and comprehensive evaluation :)
Side note: I’m usually not a big critic of ‘atmosphere’ as I mainly just want to eat great food, but Flight stood out to me as being very crowded and at times resembled more of a subway station than a nice sit down restaurant.
Breakdown by dish:
Baked Brie: D+, missed the mark here
’Flight of Soup’: B-​, Lobster Bisque and Seafood Gumbo were solid, but nothing overly remarkable.
Chicken and Waffles: A-​, this was probably my favorite dish of the night. Chicken was juicy and flavorful. The mushroom cream sauce was unique and a nice touch. Overall, all of the ingredients worked very well together and made for quite the tasty bite.
Gulf Snapper: D, pretty unoriginal and mango salsa was a bust.
Muscovy Duck Breast, Rabbit Tenderloin, Lamb Chop: C, not horrible, but all just average.
Overall, I give this a solid 3 stars. Worth trying but definitely not a ‘must come back again’ or ‘oh, that was one of the best meals I have ever had’

Wonderful food & great service! We enjoyed everything we ordered and can’t wait to go back!
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We ordered (& loved):
strawberry caprese salad
lobster bisque
Chicken and waffles
Pork tenderloin
Filet
Steak flight
Cheesecake
Bread pudding
Memphis belle pie

Amazing food and an interesting process whereby you can order mini plates to taste a bit of everything. Problem is the mini plates aren’t that mini. My light eating wife and I ordered 5 mini plates (5/​6ths of two flights I guess :-/​) and we barely got through them. We ordered the chocolate flight for desert and it was three variations on what was basically chocolate cake/​brownie thing, and vanilla ice cream. It was 100% delicious no doubt, but in hindsight we could have easily just picked one of the mini plates and shared it to top off a wonderful meal.
Don’t skip the basics like the chicken and waffles and the pork tenderloin. I don’t know how they made the sauce on the tenderloin but it was sublime.
VERY attentive staff, first class service, although prepare to be nagged to buy wine, wine, and more wine. They will take every opportunity to suggest wine to the point you may feel like you’re at a used car lot.
Prices aren’t bad at all for an upscale restaurant. Cheaper than Texas de Brazil or even a place like Butcher Shop if you manage your flights correctly.

What makes a stand out universally recognizable? The quiver of «I want what they are having» as food goes by? Here, waiters carrying narrow rectangular specially built boards, with three wines, three salads, or three small squares of bourbon soaked lamb, bison with
mushroom risotto, or something mysterious,. They bring small leek soup with tendrils of cheese. Finished with a Tapa sized cheesecake with lemon and cinnamon infused crust. No 15 oz hangover-​sized portions. Perfectly filling, crowded, vibrant, but muted. Fun to share, linger over, discuss. Like a redhead in a sea of brown, this flight captures the glisten of a great night out.

This is a must try! I have a strict «don’t eat at the same restaurants when visiting a city» rule, but I have made an exception for Flight. It is a treat and consistently excellent. I highly recommend the pork tenderloin, but haven’t had a poorly done dish yet.

Went here with a group of coworkers and didn’t know what to expect. It’s sort of like tapas, but wider variety and slightly bigger portions. The wait staff are excellent — feels a little creepy like being watched constantly, but they almost anticipate your needs. Started with a salad/​soup flight — corn chowder was wonderful with a great bacon flavor; strawberry mozzarella salad wasn’t my favorite, but the mixed green salad was one of the best I’ve had. For the main course I had the pork loin (so freaking good it was like eating filet), the filet — very good, and chicken and waffle (least favorite but still good). Had the Southern Flight for dessert — banana foster bread pudding was so good as was the pecan pie and apple walnut thing. This might just be a place worth coming back to Memphis for.

Planned a weekend getaway for the wife and I. She loves to drink wine. So I turned to the Unilocal community to see where to eat in downtown Memphis.
We wanted to try a little of everything so when we got there and saw that you can order dinner in flights we were excited.
Appetizers we ordered the deviled eggs with corn meal fried oyster. (one of the best bites of food I have ever had) we also ordered the souther sushi it was also very good but not near the caliber of the deviled eggs.
For dinner my wife ordered the seafood flight which was very good.
I mix and matched with the scallop Benedict (excellent), Redfish and cheese grits (excellent), Muscovy duck and sweet potato casserole (good) let me clarify my good… This dish was great but my duck was chewy, but that was my fault. I should have ordered the duck cooked medium well not just medium. The sweet potato casserole was amazing.
Was too stuffed for desert… Over all excellent restaurant and be sure to ask for Kayla she was a great and knowledgable server

The flight dinner option is a great way to have a variety of food. Great quality, a little
expensive but I think it’s worth it.

1. Austin Hope Syrah from PasoRobles, Ca
2.Scallop Benedict: Virginia Ham, Lobster Hollandaise, Quail egg, embedded in hash brown
3.Muscovy Duck Breast: Sweet Potato Casserole, Mushroom Marsala Sauce
4.Lobster Gnocchi: Main Lobster, Wild Mushrooms, Leeks, Truffle Cream Sauce

My wife & I dined here for our anniversary, and I’m sure glad we did. We hadn’t been to Memphis before, so I had a very tough time choosing a restaurant for dinner. I chose this one based on the flight idea, as well as all of the great reviews. Flight sure did not disappoint!
I made the reservation over a month ago with a note that it would be our anniversary. Prior to arriving Saturday night, I received a call to confirm our reservation. We arrived 15 minutes early, but the restaurant took us right to our seat. Upon entering, we were greeted with a «happy anniversary», which was nice. There was a small time against the stair railing upstairs ready for us, and it was perfect. When our server, Mandy, came to our table she also greeted us with a «happy anniversary». The restaurant was noisy and very busy, but that didn’t bother us. It sure was a hoppin’ place!
Mandy was very knowledgeable about the menu, especially given that she didn’t work there full-​time. I’m not sure what I can say about the food that hasn’t already been said, but I’ll try.
My wife & I don’t like wine, so we each had a cocktail — a greyhound for my wife, and an old-​fashioned for me. The only negative thing I have to say about our visit is that my drink wasn’t great. It was watered down way too much, and I could barely taste the bourbon. I could have ordered a new one, but I didn’t bother with it.
We each enjoyed a salad and split the lobster bisque soup. My wife had the wedge, and I had the harvest salad. Both salads were great, and the lobster bisque was divine. While we ate our salads, the manager brought us each a glass of champagne with a strawberry and wished us a happy anniversary. We thought that was very nice!
For our entrees, my wife had the boursin stuffed filet, the scallop benedict, and the lobster gnocchi. I had the elk chop, the wild boar, and the Louisiana redfish. I tried a bite of each of her flights, and they were all amazing. She couldn’t stop raving about each flight. The filet with the boursin cheese was delightful, the scallop was cooked perfectly, and the lobster gnocchi was a piece of heaven. My elk, wild boar, and redfish were all cooked just right. The sauces that accompanied the elk and boar paired well with the each meat. All of my sides (cheese grits, truffle macaroni, and mashed potatoes) were delicious. I ate every bite! It was a real treat move from one flight to the next, taking one bite of each until we were finished.
For dessert, my wife enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie soufflé, the peanut shoppe brownie, and the crème brulee. I had the bananas foster bread pudding, the warm turtle tart, and the blueberry pastry. You can only guess what I’m going to say — they were all amazing! Our server, Mandy, suggested the blueberry pastry. She said that it wasn’t something she would normally order, but many people raved about it. I decided to order it to switch things up with my desserts, and the dish didn’t disappoint. I actually enjoyed it as much as the bread pudding.
Mandy boxed up our leftover desserts for us. She knew the menu well, had great suggestions, and was very friendly. Besides an improvement to my drink, there wasn’t anything I would change about our experience. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The total amount of time we were at the restaurant was right at two hours, and our bill was $ 168 before tip. Of course, that was with two cocktails, and a total of nine menu items. You could certainly dine here for much cheaper. This place is the perfect concept for the person that likes to try many things instead of just one entrée, and it’s also a great special occasion spot!

I can’t believe I’ve never reviewed Flight! The service and wine list are among the best I’ve encountered in Memphis. They have some wines that I haven’t seen in any other local restaurant, and you basically can’t pick a bad one from their list.
The food is generally very well-​executed, and there’s a large variety from which to choose. One of my favorite things on the menu is the harvest salad (call me boring, but I just like it)! On a recent trip, I really enjoyed the crab cake in the ocean flight appetizer. Standard American seafood/​meat dishes are really the strongholds of this menu, and that’s probably why I don’t come here more often — it’s not super inventive, and not my go-​to cuisine.
There’s complimentary valet, and while I’ve had success walking in to eat at the bar, I generally make a reservation.

What a creative concept this place offers. Not only are there flights of wine, there are also flights of food. Each features three different selections.
Although they are listed as small plates, the serving sizes are quite generous. We started with the ocean flight, which featured lobster ravioli, seafood salad, and scallop Rockefeller. The ravioli was the best.
Next was the salad sampler, and all three salads were really excellent.
At this point we were getting pretty full, even thought we’d theoretically only shared two «small» plates! But we pressed on and had the sashimi. Wow! This was top quality tuna and salmon, six pieces of each, served over ice. It was odd the they had no wasabi, but otherwise exceptional.
I really liked the fact that they were totally flexible about which wines to have in each flight, so rather than sticking with their preset offerings we selected eclectic assortments to match the food and our palates.
Ambiance is bustling and trendy yet intimate, especially in the booths upstairs. Service was very attentive and professional.
I loved this concept and wish there was once closer to home.

5 stars for the food but the service was only subpar.
My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary here. While making the reservations I mentioned this was our anniversary. (A friend had worked here before and said we could get a great seat of it was a special occasion) When we arrived at the restaurant I was prepared to be swept away with amazing service. However, unfortunately this was not our experience. We were seated directly by the front door, Which was fine, just not what I was expecting. They did bring us a complimentary glass of champagne so that was nice.
Fortunately we had researched Flight before arriving and it was a good thing because our waitress gave no explanations for anything. I heard other waiters explaining the concept and offering suggestions however, our waitress merely offered us our menu and walked away. The service continued this way throughout the meal. She forgot our knives, didn’t tell us which wine was pealed with which dish, etc. Luckily, the food was delicious so the night wasn’t a total bust.
We ordered a salad flight to begin with and were blown away with how much flavor they could pack into a salad! For our entrees I ordered the Steak flight and my husband ordered the Farm & Field. Again, we were both astonished at how amazing everything tasted. The meats were cooked to perfection! For dessert we ordered the chocolate flight. Again, delicious!
It is a bit pricey but it’s perfect for a sep oak occasion!

Decent food for sure! BUT over-​priced & snobby. I am not necessarily impressed. Fun to go downtown though.