Fodder & Shine
5910 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL, 33604
Fodder & Shine Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tampa for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tampa for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tampa for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5910 N Florida Ave
Tampa, FL, 33604 - Phone (813) 234-3710
- Website https://www.fodderandshine.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 12:00pm
- Mon : 5:00 pm - 12:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Neal A.
Elevated southern cuisine done very well. Fiancé and I came in on a late Saturday afternoon and were seated right away. We came in right before the dinner rush so the restaurant was intimate and charming. They have an art exhibit area by the bar showcasing local artists...very quirky and fun to see! It was Star Wars themed when we went. Drinks were delicious and fun. Highly recommend the Fountain of Youth cocktail if you like a refreshing rum drink. The chicken gizzards and duck livers fried appetizer was so fresh, the fiancé was even into it even though he's not normally into liver. The pork chop was tender and moist. Fiancé had the cornmeal fried mullet and it was crispy and rich. Perfect place for a laid back meal with fun drinks! This was our first time and we'll be back to try the rest of the menu.
(5)Iyesha C.
From the beginning to the end, this meal was AMAZING! And I usually don't all caps anything in a review. From the start of service, to the meal, and the wrap up, this will definitely stay on my repeat list. To start, our server was very warm, and attentive throughout the meal. There was no rush in taking our time to chat, an browse the menu. She continually checked in at the appropriate checkin points to see if we were ready to start our order. To begin, we started with the smoked mullet, and pimento spread. Great starter. Not to heavy, but unless you have a larger group, you only really need one amongst two to three people. From this point, everything was timed perfectly, in terms of food coming out to the table. Next up, the main course. My friend order the grilled grouper (6oz), mashed potatoes, and greens. She was in love with all of it. I had the smoked mullet, mac n cheese, and char grilled okra. I can of course speak more to my order. The smoked mullet... I was just damn surprised to see as much fish as was on my plate. Literally, I could not finish this. It will be another dinner at home. The mac n cheese had this incredible delicious, creamy, and a touch a heat at the very end, that makes you swoon. The okra, another hit that was seasoned so well, that I was quite surprised. The portions on my sides I felt were appropriate. Not too much, and not too little. After drooling over the main course, we wrapped with the red velvet brownies, and the mud pie. My friend definitely enjoyed this, and got her worth by being served three brownies. They were your traditional, "made it at home" - sized brownies. So not overwhelming that you can't enjoy. The mud pie, well that was some very intense sugar rush going on. It was good, but I did not expect to be hit by so much sweetness. So if you've got a real sweet tooth, this won't disappoint. No here's something that I took note of that I appreciated. Let me note that the restaurant was not backed, but long after we ate our meal, and finished paying, we literally felt comfortable enough to sit and just enjoy talking for a while before leaving. Yes, I noticed some observation by our server if we were heading out, but nothing in the intrusive sense that made you feel as though you are being pushed out. That type of service I appreciate, especially because our meal was expedited so efficiently, we were actually done eating an hour after we arrived. I'm not sure how this place is when it full, but either way, I'm going back!
(5)Tara A.
I love The Refinery, my husband and I do not go regularly but every time we have gone we have always been very happy with ours meals. I wanted to love Fodder & Shine too, we both did; we just didn't. I read the reviews, studied the menu online and showed up with some pretty high expectations. The place itself is cute, like a giant open warehouse. We were sat in a booth in the bar area. Our server was extremely attentive and knowledgable with a good sense of humor. It was a bit difficult to hear over the music; I'm not sure about the dining area but the bar music was loud. We started with the smoked mullet spread, oysters and the shrimp pot likkers. The mullet was really good, large chunks of mullet with some crispy crunchy thin pieces of bread, pickled onions and jalapeño. We had to send the oysters back, they had a terrible taste to them. The shrimp was good, but the hoe cake it was served on was really dry, taking away from the taste of the shrimp, cucumber and sauce. For our main meal we had the grilled grouper with okra and kale, fried chicken with black eyed peas and Mac and cheese, Pilau and a chicken biscuit. The Pilau was easily the best thing we had all night. The seasoning was perfect, the rice cake fluffy and the sauce was amazing. The grouper was a bit dry and really needed lemon (maybe it's a personal preference) the okra was good but not as good as I expected for all of the raving in previous reviews. The creamed kale was well seasoned and yummy. The fried chicken was moist and crunchy. My friend didn't care for the breading but I sampled it & liked it; seasoned well and perfectly fried. The Mac and cheese was okay, the black eyed peas were overly sweet, but we should have expected that being made with RC Cola. My husband took home the chicken biscuit without trying it, I had a small bite of the chicken, it was decent. The jam on top was awesome! The biscuit itself looked incredible. We didn't have dessert so I can't speak to that but the drinks we received from the bar were unique and very very tasty. I could have sampled more, but we had a long drive. All in all, I wasn't as impressed with our visit as I had hoped, we will just stick to The Refinery.
(3)Mark H.
Nice little hipster haven right here, and definitely better than their former venture--The Refinery. The vibe here is a little more classic Florida, rather than Old Southern Democrat. Plus, the bar here offers up a ton of great Whisky & Bourbons, as well as local beers. We did a ton of plate sharing, so I sampled quite a bit. The burger? Skip it. It's a pretty large sucker, but lacks any real flavor. It just tastes like beef on a bun. The clam chowder with sausage? Order it! Extremely delicious, and this is coming from someone who is not a clam or chowder fan at all. The beef sandwich special? Order 3 of them. One to eat at the restaurant, and two to eat on the following days. Sub out the onion rings though. They taste like onions dipped in oil. Not impressive at all. It's possible the frying oil wasn't at the right temperature. Eggplant biscuit? Terrible. Chicken biscuit? For the win. Don't be fooled by it's small size either. It's packs a punch! (That's what she said.) Service was stellar. Nothing but good vibes all night long. Love the old punk flyers hanging up in the bathrooms. Great touch. This might not be my favorite part of town, but F&S is an excellent addition to the Heights. Would definitely return.
(4)Kelleigh M.
4 stars for an unique dining experience and a cool, hipster vibe. F&S is the sister location to The Refinery. Both have an exceptional menu and boast uniqueness on classic dishes. We arrived around 715 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. The dining room is an odd layout and I felt as though they had a decent amount of unusable space. The lobby was adorned with arcade games and old window panes, which gave it it's hipster, vintage feel. Their servers don't have any type of uniform, which I get, but it made it difficult I know who was a patron and who was an employee. We perused their craft beer list and I was happy to find CCB Florida Cracker-my fave. My husband ordered a pint from a Michigan brewery. For dinner he ordered their twist on shrimp and grits and I had the fried chicken. Both were exceptional and full of flavor. Their homemade jam that accompanied my buttermilk biscuit hit the spot. The PBR Mac N Cheese was better heated up the next day and sadly the peanut butter pie to go was a miss. Would we return? Absolutely. I would love to try their smoked ham and oyster salad. This is definitely a great addition to the Heights.
(4)Brian F.
We have been to Fodder and Shine on 3 occasions and overall the experiences combine to garner 4 stars. The cocktails are great and the food is adventurous. I have tried the fried chicken and the pilau, the cat head biscuit, the cornbread,the pimento cheese appetizer and the black eyed pea spread! Of all of the offerings that I have had the pleasure to enjoy- the fried chicken is probably my least favorite. They fry the chicken- without the skin...that's the most flavorful part!! Eee gads!!! The portions are plentiful and aside from the chicken- absolutely delightful. Let me be honest- the chicken isn't awful by any means, just not my cup o' tea. I like some good ole skin on southern fried chicken!!! Wait times can be very long and sometimes the food delivery is a bit slow, but all in all, F&S is a great addition to the culinary scene in Seminole Heights!
(4)Chuck K.
Enjoyable first visit! Had a nice first visit to Fodder&Shine. Let me get the only dim spot of the night out of the way first which was the service. It was adequate, but that was it. Our waitress didn't bother to find out it was our first visit, barely talked about anything on the menu and added nothing to the experience like outstanding service can add. That said, the Perlou was excellent Shrimp and Grits meal. Lots of layers of flavors and nice. I also had a side of grilled okra that were perfectly grilled. My husband had cornmeal batter fried chicken that he commented on numerous times. Really perfectly cooked and delicious. We would recommend this restaurant to everyone.
(5)Kathy D.
I have given this review a few days to obsess in my head and relive the entire experience many times, in my memory. Let's start from the begining. I was so very glad to see signage that could be read from Florida Avenue, that there was some sort of parking lot with over 10 spaces & that it was not a renovated house. I was running late to meet some friends and called the restaurant, Sean took the message and was quite willing to pass it along to the diners that had already arrived. Upon arrival I was curious about the outside chairs in groups, outside heater, no tables and a front door left open. Due to my late arrival I did not have an opportunity to access the bar situation, first hand. I saw parts of it and if their were any happy hour specials, we certainally were not informed of them. My first & lasting impression of the restaurants ambiance was minimalistic, NYC, loft style. Furnishings were indistinct, nondescript, seemingly somewhat cheap, underwhelming & plain boring & drab, except for the exposed kitchen some patrons could observe. Service overall was top notch, trying to anticipate your needs, a wealth of information, professional & courteous. The problem was everything was recommended, in theory that is great, but in reality it just is not realistic. The person I believed to be the manager briefly visited our table of 8 & after hearing a few complaints, disappeared & offered no remedies or solutions. Personally, I found this quite discouraging and dismissive of customer's rights to voice their concerns over a meal. The server heard the same complaints and stated all were embraced as it may assist the chef. Once again no substitutions or replacements were offered. I must admit for a restaurant of this supposed James Beard caliber, I was quite surprised with this attitude of superiority. On to the food, I started with a salad of mixed field greens with fried oysters. The fried oysters were spot on, hands down delicious, the field greens not snappy fresh & the light vinegarette was too dull and needed a boost of citrus or acid. I was still hopeful for the entree. Those that ordered the potlicker poached shrimp, were disappointed in the size of the shrimp & soggy hoe cake, leading ultimately to overall disappointment in the appetizer. I will go out on a limb for the radishes, perfectly baked and an awesome full butter flavor. On to entree, I got the 1/2 fried chicken. It was soaked in buttermilk, breaded in cracker crumbs, not greasy & cooked spot on. I only ate the breat, which was a 1/2 & brought the rest home. Let me stop, before I forget & give props to the green to go containers, very glad to see them. The cauliflower steak, would leave anyone hungry within an hour. Preperation & taste were acceptable, not great & why they called it a steak when it was in tiny pieces, escapes my imagination. The eggplant was mediocre & nothing you would return for. The chicken was spot on, but I would never return for just that again. The sides, to start the posatives: the radishes were delicious & herbaceous zucchini exactly as I prepare it at home, but uniform size & much more seasoning and flavor. The mashed potatoes were made from real potatoes & that is the only posative I have, any home cook can equal or surpass this dish with no effort. The greens were pleasant, no real bite, bitterness, kick, spice, bacon flavor or anything to write home about. I am going to cut this review off here, it is too disapointing & just makes me sad. I was so looking forward to what I thought would be the first of many visits to Fodder & Shine, but turns out it will be my last visit. The closest restaurant I can relate it to is Mis en Place, & I can go there everyday. I admit it is nice to see the farm each type of meat came from, this is also a first for me, except of course Berns. I gotta admit as a consumer, professional & foodie, I know the going rate for most products at a retail level. Thus, I also know that the wholesale value is much cheaper. So if most of the sides cost less than $.50 to prepare, without labor, there is a giant, astronomical markup, that my usually reliable pallet could not discern. I am sorry this review could not end on a higher note, but it just wasn't that good & some we did not eat. Service again is 5* & in my humble estimation that was all that was 5*. I certainally hope they don't rest on the James Beard Award nomination for the chef. James Beard board may be interested, but the everyday customers are getting turned off & turning away. Portion + quality, do not = $$$. I was so looking forward to dining at Fodder & Shine & am so totally let down. What's a girl to do? Keep trying new restaurants hoping they live up to their hype... or real reputation. Third * is for exceptional service.
(3)Scott G.
Have been before while visiting friends in Seminole heights, went to the refinery today and found out both our owned by same family. The fried chicken is very good, the mac n cheese is also very good. My wife loved the smoked mullet and her sides. Wish we lived closer would be at both establishment more often.
(5)Mallory W.
I should begin the review by saying I would give a 3,5 if it was possible. I want to LOVE Fodder and Shine, I really do. I've been several times, always ready to enjoy the evening and have my expectations surpassed. However, I keep walking away underwhelmed. My recent visit to Fodder and Shine brought me tasty (but not special) eats, but sub-par service. On the service....We made a reservation on a week night for a group of 6. We were promptly seated and immediately greeted by our server. She took our drink order and quickly served them. When it was time for starters, she recommended the cheese spread so we ordered that. We had a lot of questions on the entree items, and I understand that can get annoying for servers, but several of the people in our group hadn't been to the restaurant yet and wanted the 411 on what is great and what isn't. 2 of our guests ordered the 1/2 chicken to split, 2 of us shared the fresh grouper, and the final 2 each ordered 1/4 chicken. Right after she walked away, we realized it made more sense to split 1/2 chicken rather than order two 1/4 chickens. We walked up to her prior to her entering in our items, and asked her to come back to our table, and she did so, but definitely was NOT happy about us changing our order. After we ordered, she wanted to repeat it back to us. 4 out of the 6 of us were listening, but two of our guests were deep in conversation.. To get one's attention, she tapped him several times on his arm. I thought that was innapropriate, but oh well. Later in the evening, a couple of minutes after our server brought my husband the glass of RED wine he requested, he accidently knocked the entire thing over on our table and on one of the people in our party. Our server did bring over a dish towel (with no urgency), but seemed unconcerned that one of us was covered in red wine and one of us had no more wine to drink. I had to ask her for soda water to dab on his shirt (she didn't offer this or any other kind of solution). ALSO, isn't it normal for servers to ask if a guest would like another drink if the guest spills their entire drink? Apparently not at Fodder + Shine. Fortunately, the food served at Fodder + Shine makes up for the sub-par service. The House made pimento cheese spread was a great starter, served with cuban toast crostini and lavash-type crackers. Very generous portion sizes and the 6 of us all had several bites. I give it a 4.5 The entrees.... I think the "Meat + 2s" is an awesome concept. If you choose something from this section of the menu, you get to add 2 sides to your meal (already wrapped into the price of the dish). The sides are really what sets F+S apart from many other restaurants. The grilled grouper entree was a pretty small piece of fish at $24, but quite moist and flaky. My husband and I split it, along with the charred okra (5 stars!), the creamed kale (4 stars), and paid an extra few bucks to add on one of their "cathead bisquits" (it was huge and delicious, but would have been perfect if it was served hot). Friends ordered the 1/2 chicken dish, (and were nice enough to share a taste of the sides with me) with mac n cheese (4 stars), cornbread (5 stars) , collard greens and more okra. I'd go back to Fodder and Shine again, but this time would plan to expect unimpressive service so that I'm not disappointed
(3)Brittany L.
This place had been open a week when we went for a weekend dinner. I'm writing an honest review in the hopes that it helps my next experience be 5-stars. Hosts were all fantastic, even sought us out to tell us how much longer it would be for a table and make sure we had gotten a drink. Love the Ms. PacMan and other video games in the entrance and there's a pool table in the back (I wish there was skeeball but that's like wishing there was a unicorn). Decor is cool, but they need more concert posters to balance out the expanse of wall space. Surprisingly, the noise level was acceptable. Tables are well-spaced so you're not going to be rubbing against other diners as you eat (like at Refinery). My boyfriend stood at the bar for 15 minutes and was pretty much ignored by all 4 people behind the bar. He claimed they avoided making eye contact. I went in. I caught the eye of one bartender fairly quickly, he greeted me, and took my drink order about 5 minutes later. After 10 more minutes I finally had my cocktail and boyfriend's beer. Nice beer selection, I was delighted with my Major Award cocktail. I love bourbon, egg white cocktails, and A Christmas Story. Really great flavor. The covered patio area is very pleasant. That's where we sat while waiting for our table. I wish there was a firepit for those cool nights. Our food came out in an acceptable amount of time but I was disappointed in the portion size and quality when compared to the price. I had the rabbit and dumplings, $24. There were 2 biscuit-style dumplings which tasted fine, and then there was shredded rabbit and copious celery with some slightly undercooked potatoes. The lima beans (one of my favorite veggie beans) were nowhere to be found. I thought it was possible they could've been pureed but the flavor and texture of the stew made me think it was not so. It tasted fine, but I have had better rabbit, better stew, and even better rabbit stew at or below this pricepoint. I was still hungry after finishing my entree. He had the fried chicken. The pieces were so small they may have come from a bantam. Seriously tiny pieces of chicken. They were also very dark brown...which would've been fine had the people to either side of us been eating chicken of that color...theirs was much lighter. For his 2 sides he chose cornbread and tomato rice. I tried both. The cornbread was good and the tomato rice was AMAZING. That was the star of our food experience. Our server never checked on us until our last few bites, when she asked if we saved room for dessert or just wanted the check. Water had run out awhile before this. We were very near the server's station and she walked by us probably 20 times. Unacceptable to not have an additional check-in or more water brought. To recap...nothing was terrible but the only amazing things were my cocktail and the tomato rice. Experience was "fine". A-ok in the truest sense. I appreciate the unique menu and what they're trying to do. I'm sure that things will only get better as they're open longer. We spent as much as we did the last time we went to Rooster & the Till or Ulele. Except unlike the other 2 spots, I left feeling hungry and that the service was subpar (except for the awesome hosts).
(3)Brett N.
Why 5 stars? Because everything the Baker's touch turns to gold. --- --- --- I love you Greg and Michelle! They have done so much for my neighborhood, and I'm eternally grateful to them for that. But onto the delightfulness... First off, the decor and look is definitely different from many of its peer, establishments. The framing of the building doesn't resemble a trendy restaurant, but rather something between a bread depot and a CVS. It's very interesting that the Baker's chose this space, but I really like how it stands out from the pack. Secondly, they have arcade games, pool, and are open until 3am, 7 nights a week. I'm not the 3am type anymore, but I love that it's available if I wanted it. Thirdly, the food. It's awesome. End of review. And yes, I could just end there. I thought about just writing a one word review, "YES!" but I couldn't help but indulge on this one. I went with the NY Strip, and the absolute perfect flavor made me forget about that $37 price tag (most expensive thing on the menu.) Seriously though, it was cooked and seasoned like Jesus did it himself. For the sides, I ordered the cornbread and the sofkee. I didn't know what sofkee was, but the best way I can describe it, is that it was basically really buttery rice. I loved it. The cornbread was solid, but next time I will order the full appetizer portion cooked in a griddle. My girlfriend had the fried chicken, with the cathead biscuit and the tomato gravy & rice. The latter was basically the sofkee with tomato sauce on it, and I actually liked her biscuit even more than the cornbread. Meanwhile, the chicken had a very unique flavor to it, and I savored every bite. The only item we didn't absolutely love was the peanut butter pie. We originally wanted to try to caramel pie, but the server let us know that it's oddly dry. We opted for the peanut butter, and we both felt that it was fairly average. We visited tonight (day 4) so they were understandably out of a few items. I would have definitely ordered the smoked mullet spread if it had been in stock, but I'll put it on the list for next time :) Very rarely to I write my review on the same night I visit a restaurant, but I couldn't wait to get home and type this one up!
(5)Pietro M.
Service was good, nothing more than what you would expect from a server. Food was flavorful and filling. If you order a meat and 2 sides you do not need to order any appetizers. Had the griddled ham, PBR mac&cheese and black pepper mashed potatoes, maybe some gravy for the mashed potatoes though. My wife had the fried chicken, creamed kale and cheese grits. The charm of this restaurant is that all of these staple southern foods were slightly different than the regular style you would make at home and ALL were amazing. Price point was spot on. Don't miss their cornbread served with butter amidst a plate of honey. Excited to return and try the next menu items on my wish list.
(4)Phuong N.
Very surprised to see that currently the average score is only 3.5 stars. I had an excellent first time experience here last night for dinner. For two, we shared the frog legs, smoked mullet spread and cauliflower and devoured all of that goodness happily. We wish we had more room in our bellies to order more but we will definitely be coming back to try out more items on the menu.
(5)Alicia P.
Brand spankin' new! From the owners of the Refinery, this place was certainly better executed, IMO. Upon arrival, before 5:30 pm, not ONE parking spot to be found. The southern cracker inspired cuisine was actually all it was cracked up to be. Sadly, the price point doesn't describe southern cracker one bit. We wanted the fish spread to share with the table. They were out. We ordered drinks. They were VERY expensive. Not bad tasting, interesting how the traditional cocktail is making a come back. But at a very high price. We ordered the Pilau and the NY Strip and 2. We also shared the 4 sides with the table, which were the cornbread, radishes, sofkee and zucchini. First of all, my pilau was VERY good. I just wish I could have had it without the livers. I was able to pick most of that out. But if its all fresh and made to order, and takes 25 minutes, then make mine without chicken livers. Nope. They cooked the steak to perfect temperature. That's sometimes even hard to find, so we were happy with that. And the sides with the steak were the greens, which I hear are really really good (I don't eat greens, so....) and the rice with tomato sauce which was just that. Nothing fabulous, very simple and bland. The radishes weren't super flavorful. The sofkee was good, kind of a not quite risotto, the zucchini was ok, too, nothing super flavorful there. I'd have to say the cornbread - if I were coming back - I'd eat an entire skillet of just that. That's it! Maybe even 2 of them. Well, maybe I'd share a pilau and have an entire cornbread to myself. Overall, the concept is cool, the bar is nice and like that there are dining booths in the bar, the place is very spread out, they really could probably put in twice as many tables but probably don't need to with the prices they are charging. We do appreciate what the owners are trying to do, with both the Refinery and this new spot, but we haven't been to the Refinery but once and not sure what it would take for me to return to Fodders. Probably a price adjustment.
(3)Tyler S.
Wow, our first time here was awesome. We shared a few of the side plates, which were all fantastic and well portioned. Then I had the burger... Oh my God, the burger. This burger has permanently ruined me for any other burger, and I love them for it. Plus, Eric is great. Don't tell him I said so, but he is great. If you haven't been, this is a gem. If you have, then you already know and you should have already ordered at this point. Well done, guys. We will be back...often.
(5)Carlisle S.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to Fodder and Shine on whim. I had never been and looked forward to trying the food. We ordered a hamburger, mac and cheese, corn bread and black eyes peas. Sounds like a pretty typical meal but it was anything but. They added unique flavors to classic dishes that made them even better. It was the ultimate comfort food experience! Also, the service, decor and music/sound system were great!
(5)Stacy Z.
Fodder and shine Has a bit of a warehouse-y feel. Through the kitchen window We watched the chefs prepare our meal. We started with frog legs That had a great kick of flavor The fried mullet and sofkee Was something to savor! The fish, cornbread and chicken Were all perfectly cooked. Fodder and shine, You now got me hooked!
(5)Mary J.
Located in a big space that encompasses an open air patio, a covered patio, a dining room, a large bar, pool tables and arcade games, Fodder & Shine could easily be hard to define by design. But it all seems to overlap and co-exist in a way that invites people to interact which perfectly suits the vibe of its Seminole Heights neighborhood. It's a bold step to open a new restaurant just blocks away from the original establishment that has given owners Greg and Michelle Baker so much well deserved praise and recognition. And it's even bolder to take a step back in time and find inspiration in the international cultures that settled here and locally sourced foods that flourished here to provided many an early settler with basic sustenance. Florida Cracker cuisine is the promise and the premise behind Fodder & Shine. Recipes have been collected from native Florida families, seasonal ingredients are featured and delicious food is presented. The menu takes a page from Florida history books and makes the most of what this state does best in terms of producing and providing great produce, seafood, meats and more. There are classic cocktails and signature proprietary cocktails, craft beers, select wines and an assortment of non-alcoholic beverages to choose from. There are lights bites like boiled peanuts, sides like grilled frog legs and wood roasted oysters and entrees made from Florida beef, rabbit, quail and more. But what makes Fodder & Shine a standout, stand alone type of dining experience is its ability to make the most of its Florida roots. And make everyone appreciate the many ways this state can be represented in such an appetizing manner.
(5)Barbara C.
I think this restaurant is a wonderful addition to Seminole Heights. The atmosphere is wonderful and I love the décor. The décor is simple but stylish and tasteful. The service was excellent and the servers were friendly, patient and knowledgeable. I like the variety of food and the manner in which they prepare the meals. The dishes are unique and appetizing. The food comes from local farmers which is a plus because of the freshness. The fried chicken was delicious. It was fried to perfection and juicy when you bite into it. The serving of chicken was large. The greens and zucchini were awesome. they were seasoned to perfection and cooked just right. Will definitely come again. I give them 5 stars for variety, uniqueness, décor, friendliness, great tasting food and location.
(5)Chandra L.
Worse food experience I have had in quite some time. I was served under cooked vegetables and a no flavor grouper entree. Avoid the cornbread, it is a wedge of stale thick bread softened with butter and honey. I plan not to return under my own will.
(1)Deborah F.
Expected to wait for a table on a Saturday night around 7, but got a table by the bar right away. Our party of three ordered the day's specials: NY strip with mashed potatoes and collard greens; pork shoulder with mashed potatoes and roasted zucchini; and amberjack. All was super delicious, but the NY strip, medium rare, was beyond phenomenal. Seriously one of the best steaks we've had in Tampa. Service was ok, took some time for our waitress to refill our drinks, but overall was ok. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu.
(4)Michelle P.
I went to Fodder & Shine for the first time last night with a dinner club. I had high expectations given who the owner/chef is for the restaurant (Greg Baker of The Refinery). I love the look of the restaurant, interior and exterior, but unfortunately I cannot say the same about the food. For an appetizer, I ordered the Pot Likker Poached Shrimp. While cooked perfectly, I felt the shrimp had little to offer in flavor and the texture of the hoe cake the shrimp and pickled cucumber/onion lay upon was a little off putting. My entree was a half order of fried chicken with the bacon braised greens and cane syrup beets. The half order came with a wing, two legs, and a small breast of chicken. The coating was tasty, crunchy, and had a hint of spice at the end. I was most disappointed by the "bacon braised" greens as I tasted no hint of bacon or even pork fat. The fried chicken was good, but not good enough to make me want to order it again. Our server said that the menu had changed several times since the restaurant opened in December 2014. I'm not sure that even with further changes I would make a return trip to Fodder & Shine.
(2)D G.
The first time I went, it was on a Tuesday night and there was only me and what looked to be like a bachelorette party going on. I ordered the fried chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese and added a biscuit. In the middle of eating, I had to take a picture of my food and text my coworker that I was making embarrassing noises in this restaurant while eating this glorious meal! The mac and cheese is funky and unctuous; the fried chicken was perfect. I normally don't like collard greens, but I sucked down these greens like I hadn't seen food in a week. The biscuit was just ok. Came back about two weeks later with the SO and he seemed to enjoy the food as well. We got fried chicken, mac and cheese and cornbread. For dessert, he got the peanut butter item (sorry--don't remember the name) and I got the marshmallow-graham cracker-thing (lol. I'm bad with names!). My guy plowed into both desserts, although I liked mine better. I'm a fan and will be back
(4)Jon-Paul T.
Was not impressed with the food. When you order grouper it's nice to not have it taste like mullet (maybe use different lids when your smoking). When you season fried chicken, do so before you fry it, not after. Was told later it comes with an orange sauce? Just because you add expensive cheese and beer doesn't make it a good mac n cheese. The okra was chargrilled and halfed, very nice. The bbq black eye peas was interesting, but not cooked all the way. The old school cornbread was nice to see. Atmosphere was impressive, service was standard, beer list average, sitting at the bar looked inviting.
(2)Karen S.
All the hype and none of the follow-through. Dropped in last night. Here's my breakdown & Recs for the restaurant to make it better. Ambiance - perfect, casual, chill, great outdoor seating. Good for after work drinks, date night or even din with your non picky eating children (like mine, who ate all our oysters!) Hosts- excellent, friendly greeting and genuine Server- horrible. No intro, no welcome, no 'here's the ld on the menu'. Just blah. Really she seemed very frumpy and bothered to be working Bar staff- all smiles - keep them :-) Food- oysters- very small, sauce needed some acid, bland; pilaou (spelling) this was aaammmaazing - if you go, get this- rich, flavorful, nice balance of spices and creaminess; pot licker shrimp- fair, add more of that white sauce and u have a winner; collards- too sweet; okra / strong work, nicely seasoned and roasted perfectly; biscuit- good, but dense- work it a little less in the kitchen; Kids meals- perfect if your child eats like a bird- my kids left hungry- also rec adding the Mac n cheese or onion rings as a kid-side- All in all good, not great, not what we expected after such yumminess from refinery. Work on flavor balance, portion size and get rid if that horrible server.
(3)Andres C.
Very cool place, this is what tampa needs to get out of the boring world. Keep in mind this place is better to have drinks than eating, but it is really nice. I definitely recommend it. I don't give it 5 starts just because the food was not that great.
(4)Tampa F.
Once again a mediocre experience. The oysters were room temperature - not very appealing. The chicken biscuit was quite good, the addition of jam was nice. Grouper burger was very smoky and cold. The onion rings were way too oily. Would have given 2 1/2 stars if possible. A positive, the beer is cold.
(3)April S.
This place is really cool. The inside looks kinda like an old warehouse of sorts. The food it really good. One thing is the food is more about something to snack on. There isn't really anything that will completely fill you. Which is fine by me, sometimes I love to go somewhere have a few drinks and something to nibble on. The mack and cheese app was amazing. My best friend and I sat on the patio which has great seating, plus spread out enough where you aren't on top of one another. I will be back here very soon. These type of places are what I love about Seminole Heights area.
(5)Amy Z.
I really really wanted to like this place. We had some drinks, the bacon fat cornbread, and the fried chicken. The mashed potatoes were my favorite part of the meal :( Our service was pretty awful too unfortunately. I'd be willing to give it another shot, but there wasn't anything on the menu that made me feel that I'm dying to go back.
(2)George L.
In progress. So far the the hostess was phenomenal in choosing my special needs for location in regards to draft, airflow, and vantage point preference . The waitress Sinead up to this point has been extremely helpful with choosing from the extensive drink menu. Conner (the manager) was also extremely knowledgeable and friendly, as well as very funny. He helped Food was awesome
(5)Shawn W.
Excellent food & drinks! Atmosphere can be a little loud though. For those of you that are vegetarians...the veggies are literally the best we've ever had! Hands down!
(5)Deirdre S.
Stopped in on Thursday. They had a nice set up of vendors selling various items for Mother's Day (soaps, pickles, jewelry) along with a beer tasting cart out front. I skipped it and walkes in asking for a table. We were seated right away, and the place is nice. Contemporary/industrial decor, very hipster. It would fit right into most places I've been to in Brooklyn, and that's a compliment. The server was nice enough, and our party was taken care of well enough. The drinks were so-so. My Hemmingway Daquiri felt like it was missing something, maybe the grapfruit. It tasted off. Not bad, just off. For food we ordered selection of 4 sides. For $15, it was well worth it. The beets were delightful, as was the zucchini. But the shining stars were the biscuit with jam and butter, and the sofkee. The biscuit was warm and the jam was sweet and slightly tart, not to much, not too little. Now for the sofkee. I'm from the North, so grits or anything similar are still a little foreign to me, but this was heavenly. Warm, creamy rice porridge with that salty, buttery flavor. To kick it up a bit more, add the verde hot sauce on the table! So perfect. To top it off, the peanut butter pie, which was peanut buttery, but also light and airy. The crust was slightly chewy, which was again, not bad but slightly off. Still delicious. Good experience, I'd try another drink next time but definitely return.
(4)Geoff J.
Where do I start? Cocktails served in shot glasses? Fried chicken which is essentially tasteless under the breading. What is this place...It confuses me. At least get the biscuit right. A chewy undercooked non flaky biscuit? Please don't buy the hype on this place.
(2)Daniel L.
Food was good to OK but not worth the price tag. The place is definitely nice to gather with friends and family.
(3)Jenny D.
I was very excited to check out this restaurant. I ordered the grass fed ribs which were fairly priced due to the quality and time they take to prepare. If you haven't tasted grass fed beef, it has a unique flavor and lean in fat. The ribs I ordered were very tough and mostly uneatable fat. They did a good job cutting the ribs, great knife skills. Usually, if you cook ribs low and slow the fat melts so nicely and so does the connective tissue. They could have been cooked longer to help with the chewy texture. I had to pull very hard with my hands to even have a bite of the meat. This is very disappointing since ribs should be tender. Loved the variety of vegetables but my zucchini and radishes could have been cooked much longer. I love crisp vegetables, but not undercooked and under seasoned, unless this is for a more "raw" or nutritional based restaurant. The corn bread was good and I loved the mixed drink I ordered. My dessert was the caramel cake and I wasn't a fan. The concept was good but it was very dense and although the icing on top was quality, it was very heavy and bland in flavor.
(2)Ti T.
I finally had the chance to stop by Fodder & Shine to check it out. Even though I just sat at the bar to have a drink, I did try out their clam chowder which was really good. I look forward to coming back and trying other things on the menu. I like the atmosphere. There is a pretty eclectic group but more of a hipster/alternative crowd.
(4)Katie F.
Though it has great decor, good service, and a cool atmosphere- the food here is just NOT good. This restaurant is newer and in a great location in Seminole Heights near all the other popular joints with delicious food, however, despite it's potential it needs a new menu and/or new chef. The bartender Chelsey is so friendly and good at her job. Very competent and personable. The only menu item I can honestly recommend is the ($9) cornbread (which is served like a slice of pie, with a dollop of sweet butter, and amazing honey drizzled atop). The most unfortunate menu item would be the Mac n Cheese. It is simply HORRIBLE. Like, I could not finish it. How do you mess up macaroni and cheese? I've never had BAD Mac n Cheese before until now. Just awful. Everything else on the menu: burgers, desserts, okra, eggplant, ect. are just sub-par. There are more exotic menu options such as rabbit which I am hesitant to try- if the burger is so-so I doubt the rabbit is any better. I only go back for the trivia, but hopefully the menu and food magically get better in the future.
(2)Jamie B.
Another top notch place in Seminole Heights! Even though we missed the dinner service, I was lucky enough to enjoy a few cocktails and the late night menu which did not disappoint. The fresh take on cocktails was a delight while the limited late night menu kept us wanting more. Can't wait to come back and enjoy a full meal.
(4)jennifer C.
Had happy hour here. The cocktails were good but wish they were on happy hour special. The deviled ham dip was amazing. A bit salty, which I loved, meaty and a very good size portion. Also came with plenty of cracker like bread and crostini, as well as pickled onions which complimented very well. The PBR Mac and cheese was amazing. Creamy, good sharp cheddar taste and perfect amount of beer. Nice panko topping in a cast iron skillet. The only thing that was lackluster was the pot likker shrimp. The shrimp were bland and the whole dish lacked flavor. Kinda disappointing based on the description. All in all I would defiantly go back, many more items I can't wait to try.
(4)Katie M.
Happy to have a new establishment to the neighborhood but the menu may be over my head. Pros: The atmosphere is really nice. I hope it gets a solid bar scene so I can hang out there. I went back a second time with girlfriends. The four sides option is great! Collards and Lina beans were rad. The server with blue hair was a doll and really did a great job. Cons: My husband/dining partner is vegan and there was a really pathetic offering for him. Granted, it's 2015 and the menu posts traditional Florida Cracker faire. I recognize we present a challenging situation, but as residents of Seminole heights and neighborhood restaurant patrons, the question begs to be asked "who is the audience"? The server (first visit) had a really limited knowledge of menu ingredients and what would contain dairy, etc. I'm not asking for the world, but as Seminole heights residents who are wanting to support local businesses, would it kill you to have one gluten-free/vegan item on hand? It just seems to make sense to have one stock item available. I recognize having a concept restaurant but we want to give you our money! Both visits, the managers did the most awkward table visits. There was no introduction of who they were, just a quick pass by asking if the food was ok. If I didn't know they were managers from my past refinery dining/general industry knowledge I would've been put off. Sadly, my cons had more description than my Pros. This is a new place and I'm sure it will evolve. I'll be back soon to try again.
(3)Odion B.
First visit to the new venture from Greg and Michelle Baker. I waited at least a month to give them time for things to settle down. First impression on walking in was i liked the wide space of the dinning room and the view into the kitchen. The old arcade machines were a very nice touch - had to indulge in a go at galaga. We were sat in a booth on the bar side, the large sofa seats were comfy. The cocktails we tried were exceptional- scalawag, New York sour and a major award. In addition to the drink and food menu you get a "meat list" which lists the meat specials of the week and where the food was sourced from (nice touch). We had frog legs and the chicken gizzards and liver for appetizers. The frog legs were a delight, herbed and grilled. The gizzards were a little tough. The corn bread which comes in a cast iron skillet drizzled with honey was delicious. Our entrees were the pilau which is like a paella with sausage topped with shrimp and a hard boiled egg. This also came in a cast iron skillet. The rice and sausage were tasty. The shrimp was a little bland. We also had the pork shoulder with greens and beets which were excellent. Overall the aesthetic, feel of the place are great. As this is my first visit i will hold off on a complete review of the food until another visit or two. Kudos to the Bakers, another great addition to the heights.
(3)Bex D.
Came for dinner on a weekday evening.. Neat spot in Seminole Heights; service was good and the food was tasty, but overpriced. Plenty if seating and they now have a kids men. Good beer selection too.
(3)