Ember & Oak brings 'upscale steakhouse' to Southaven: A first look at the new restaurant

A new high-end steakhouse is now open in Southaven's Snowden District.

Located at Getwell and Nail roads, Ember & Oak Prime is the latest restaurant from Les Hooper, Tammy Hooper and Jeff Blankenship. They've been the owners of 10th Inning Sports Bar & Grill since 2019, and now they have a new business venture right across the street. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held April 17.

Ember & Oak has all the staples of a great steakhouse. Prime cuts of ribeye, filets and New York Strips are available. The seafood selection includes meals like Norwegian Salmon with coin carrots and spinach casserole, Shrimp Pasta with fresh veggies and Caper Beurre Blanc, and Colossal Alaskan Red King Crab Leg.

There are plenty of non-seafood and non-steak options as well. Selections like Fried Mozzarella, Lamb Chops and Chicken Breast mean there's something to everyone.

"Our food's all center cut, prime," Les Hooper said. "Our lobster tails are brought in fresh, our crab is fresh. My favorite is actually the filet with crab legs. We do have weekly specials — sometimes we'll have a tomahawk for two, we'll have two bone in ribeye... we'll try to have a special each week."

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Blankenship also highlighted the restaurant's oyster lineup, which includes chargrilled oysters, oysters Rockefeller (topped with butter and herb sauce and breadcrumbs, then baked) and the impressive Grand Plateau, a starter which serves four to six, and comes with jumbo lump crab, North Atlantic lobster tail, shrimp and oysters.

Brunch is also available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, with plans to expand to Saturday.

Ember & Oak's alcoholic drink lineup is extensive, hosting the largest bourbon selection in DeSoto County, according to Blankenship.

"We got a bourbon list that nobody in DeSoto County has but us," he said. "We got 60 different bourbons, 150 different bottles of wine. Our signature drink is a smoked old fashioned. It's bourbon aged for 90 days since we got it, we add fruit to it and we smoke it for you at your table or bar."

There are lots of cocktails to choose from too — anything from a Negroni to a Lemon Berry Spritz, all at $14.

The new steakhouse has replaced an old one, The Grillehouse, which had previously occupied the same space since 2017 before being bought by the trio in late 2023. They've made a few changes to the space.

"We put in booths with private areas, we put in butcher block tables, we painted the whole place," Hooper said. "We redid the bar completely, as far as new products and a new look. All new silverware, glassware, everything is new. We don't want just an average steakhouse, we want an upscale steakhouse."

Adding to the upscale feel is the large outdoor patio, which will feature live music from Thursday to Saturday.

"Just different one-piece bands... one- or two-piece solos," he said. "Just nice, easy smooth music."

Hooper hopes to bring some of 10th Inning's community work to Ember. He estimated that the sports bar has raised more than $300,000 for North Mississippi families since 2019, through fundraisers and events like its Thanksgiving meal giveaways, and partnerships with local schools.

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Having opened his first restaurant less than a year before the pandemic began, Hooper knows firsthand how difficult it was to keep a business afloat. But 10th Inning not only survived, it was successful enough to enable Hooper to open Ember & Oak. He credits that success to the people who supported him and his businesses along the way.

"A lot of people wouldn't have made it through [the pandemic], but it means a lot to know that you can... make it through hard times and be successful," Hooper said. "To me that's just being a good steward of your business, of what has been provided. If you make good decisions, and surround yourself with good people, then good things come out of it."

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.

Ember & Oak Prime Steakhouse

Address: 5915 Getwell Road, Southaven

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (brunch) and 4-10 p.m. (dinner) Sunday

Online: emberoakprime.com

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Southaven restaurant Ember & Oak opens: Here's what to expect